THE  UNIVERSITY 


OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


S>l<3r7 

Gr34;=. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/stanleyinafricapOOgodb 


STANLEY  IN  AFRICA 


J|?(?  paladii?  of  tl?<?  Q?ijtury. 


A SUCCINCT  AND  CORRECT  HISTORY  OF  THE  TRAVE'  ° AND 
EXPLORATIONS  OF 

HENRY  M.  STANLEY, 

HIS  PERILOUS  MARCH  TO  FIND  LIVINGSTONE,  HIS  EXPLORATIONS  ON  THE 
CONGO,  HIS  WONDERFUL  WORK  IN  THE  CONGO  STATE,  TOGETHER 
WITH  A CONCISE  AND  FASCINATING  ACCOUNT  OF  NEGRO  SAVAGE 
TRIBES,  AND  A COMPLETF  HISTORY  OF  HIS 

LATEST  AND  MOST  INTERESTING  EXPEDITION, 

THE  RELIEF  OF  EMIN  BEY* 

By  A.  H,  CODBEY,  A.  M., 

A utkor  of  “ Light  in  Darkness '*  Missions  and  Missionary  Heroes"  etc,.eic* 


SUPERBLY  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  OVER  ?Q0  FINE  ENGRAVIfKJft, 


1893:. 

National  Book  and  Picture  Co. 


CHICAGO. 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

MAY  1 3 1933 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ItUjNOISi 


COPYRIGHTED  BY 
STANDARD  PUBLISHING  GO 

1889 


•“TV  30  *36  ' 3S.3t 


fME  U8RARY  OF  THE 

MAY  n 1933 

W|*“»AX  Of  _||4jW0JJt 

PREFACE. 


A Eoman  general  was  asked  by  a friend:  “Would 
you  rather  be  Achilles  or  Homer  ? ” To  this  he  replied  : 
“Would  you  rather  be  victor  in  the  Olympic  games,  or 
the  herald  who  proclaims  him?” 

Without  entering  upon  a discussion  of  the  merits 
of  the  answer,  suffice  it  to  say  that  our  modern  Achilles 
has  been  his  own  Homer.  The  author  of  this  volume 
does  not  hope  to  add  a single  leaflet  to  the  well-earned 
laurels  of  the  prince  of  modern  explorers.  This  book  is 
not  intended  as  a panegyric. 

Neither  does  the  writer  design  to  compete  with  the 
great  traveler  in  the  field  of  literature.  Stanley’s  ad- 
ventures as  related  by  himself  possess  a charm  that  few 
may  hope  to  excel ; and  the  native  modesty  of  the  man, 
as  well  as  his  intense  earnestness  and  prompt  decision, 
are  better  shown  by  his  own  writings  than  by  the  pen 
of  another. 

But  the  volumes  written  by  Stanley  are  too  costly 
for  many  thousands  who  are  deeply  interested  in  the 
achievements  of  the  man  who  has  done  more  for  the 
development  of  the  “Dark  Continent”  than  any  other 
person,  living  or  dead.  That  these  people,  as  thor- 
oughly appreciative  of  the  work  of  the  “Columbus  of 
Africa”  as  their  more  favored  brethren,  may  have  a 
condensed  history  of  his  deeds,  this  volume  has  been 
prepared. 

Trusting  that  it  may  accomplish  the  purpose  of  its 

(V) 

834156 


VI 


PREFACE. 


compilation,  and  arouse  in  all  a deeper  interest  in  the 
possibilities  of  Africa’s  future,  the  book  is  respectfully 
submitted  to  an  impartial  public. 

A.  H.  GODBEY. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTE. 


Most  African  races  have  no  written  language. 
Hence  all  native  names  are  usually  spelled  phonetically 
by  travelers.  The  reader  will  observe  that  each  syllable 
usually  ends  in  a vowel ; but  as  the  African  frequently 
places  an  n or  an  m before  another  consonant  at  the 
beginning  of  a syllable,  it  will  be  easier  for  American 
tongues  in  such  cases  to  pronounce  the  n or  m as  part 
of  the  preceding  syllable.  The  vowels  are  usually  given 
the  Continental  sound. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS. 

The  Land  of  Mystery. — Fables  and  Realities. — Its  Fatal 
C hara  cter . —Slow  E xplora  tion . — Living  stone . — His  Discoveries . 
— Last  Journey. — His  Fate  an  Uncertainty 21 

CHAPTER  n. 

Stanley’s  early  life. 

Stanley : His  Early  Life. — A Traveling  Correspondent. — 
In  Abyssinia. — A Telegram  from  Bennett. — The  Interview  and 
Commission.  —But  Find  Livingstone  ! 31 

CHAPTER  ILL 

THE  EXPEDITION. 

Procuring  Supplies. — The  Start. — Disturbance  over  a Dead 
Horse. — Superstition. — News  from  Livingstone. — A Robber 
Chieftain. — Slow  Traveling. — African  Hindrances. — Insects. — 
Jealous  Natives. — Thorny  Plants. — A Few  Moments  in  the 
Jungle 42 

CHAPTER  IV. 

DELAYS  AND  LOSSES. 

A Thieving  Cook. — A Runaway.— Losses  on  the  Road. — 
Search  for  the  Missing. — The  Adventures  of  the  Soldiers. — 
Greed  of  the  Sultana. — The  Sultana  Frightened. — The  Makata 
Swamp. — Sickness  in  Camp. — Farquhar’s  Excesses 52 

CHAPTER  V. 

TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE. 

Shaw’s  Malingering. — Hippopotamus  Hunting. — Vexatious 
Losses. — Farquhar’s  Worthlessness. — Impudence  of  Shaw. — 
Stanley  Punishes  Him. — Shaw  Penitent. — A Suspicious  Circum- 

(vii) 


VI  LI 


TABLE  OP  CONTENTS. 


stance. — A Land  of  Plenty. — Farquhar  Left  Behind. — White 
Ants 59 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THROUGH  UGOGO. 

Caravans  United. — Impudent  Wagogo. — Exorbitant  Toll. 
— Wagogo  Trickery. — An  Avaricious  Chief. — A Eight  Immi- 
nent. — Unyanyembe  Reached. — Notes  on  The  People. — Ideas 
of  God. — Customs  and  Laws 68 

CHAPTER  VII. 

STOPPED  BY  WAR. 

Arab  Hospitality.— Telling  the  News. — The  Settlement  of 
Tabora. — Council  of  War. — Power  of  Mirambo. — The  Living- 
stone Relief  Caravan  Found. — A Triumphal  March. — Battles 
with  Mirambo. — A Masterly  “Change  of  Base.” — Farquhar 
Dead  and  Shaw  Sick. —Mirambo  Attacks  Tabora. — Arabs  De- 
feated.— Stanley  Prepares  to  Turn  Southward. — Stricken  with 
Fever ....  87 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

A DETOUR. 

The  Affectionate  Bombay. — Numerous  Desertions. — Shaw 
Moping. — Sent  Back. — African  Fever. — Through  a Desert  Re- 
gion.— Stanley  a Great  Medicine  Man.— Narrow  Escape  from  a 
Crocodile. — Native  Method  of  Killing  the  Crocodile. — Mutiny 
Among  the  Men. — Stanley  Victorious 99 

CHAPTER  IX 

LIVINGSTONE  FOUND. 

News  of  Livingstone. — Forced  Marching. — Rapacious 
Chiefs. — Stanley’s  Anger. — A Night  March. — In  Sight  of  the 
Lake. — Triumphal  Entry. — Susi  and  Chuma. — Face  to 
Face 112 

CHAPTER  X. 

LIVINGSTONE. 

Cowardice  of  the  Sepoys. — The  Johanna  Men  Alarmed. — 
Desertions. — Cazembe. — Explorations. — A Treacherous  Arab. 
— Into  Rua. — Turned  Back. — Robbed  of  Everything. — Despair- 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


IX 


mg. — Stanley’s  Arrival.  — Livingstone’s  Character. — Influence 
over  Stanley 121 

CHAPTER  XI. 

STANLEY  WITH  LIVINGSTONE. 

To  the  Rusizi  River. — The  Head  of  the  Lake. — African 
Knavery.— To  Unvanyembe. — Livingstone’s  Plan. — News  of 
Shaw’s  Death. — The  Separation. — Back  to  the  Coast. — Criti- 
cisms of  Stanley.  —Justly  Indignant  ....  130 

CHAPTER  XII. 

AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 

Livingstone  Dead. — Unsettled  Questions. — The  Anglo- 
American  Expedition. — Preparations.— The  Departure.— Scanty 
Food. — A Grave  Situation. — Hostile  Natives, — Sickness  in 
Camp. — Death  of  Edward  Pocock. — War  with  the  Natives.  — 
Heavy  Losses. — A Land  of  Plenty. — Mistaken  for  Mirambo. — 
Arrival  at  Victoria  Nyanza 137 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

ON  THE  VICTORIA. 

Season  of  Rest. — Departure  from  Kagehyi. — Message  from 
Mtesa. — Visit  to  Him. — His  Character. — A French  Traveler. — 
Return  to  Kagehyi. — Dilatory  Magassa. — Bumbireh. — A Season 
of  Peril. — “Go  and  Die  in  the  Nyanza.” — Desperate  Situation. 
— Safe  in  Camp. — Deaths  and  Losses. — Sets  out  for  Uganda. — 
Rotten  Canoes  Founder. — To  the  Rescue! — Bold  Uledi. — A 
Forced  Halt. — A Drunken  Row. — Bumbireh  Once  More. — 
Treachery. — The  Natives  Punished.— Arrival  in  Uganda. . 148 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  WAGANDA-WAVUMA  WAR. 

Mtesa  at  War. — Promises  of  Aid. — The  Scene  of  Opera- 
tions.— Mtesa ’s  Army. — His  Fickleness. — Discusses  Religion. — 
Stanley  as  Missionary.— Mtesa  Consults  His  Chiefs. — Christi- 
anity the  State  Religion. — Evident  Honesty,  without  Stability. 
— Indecisive  Battles. — Massacre  of  the  Peace  Party. — Wavuma 
Chiefs  Captured. — Mtesa ’s  Fury. — Stanley’s  Appeal. — His 
Floating  Fort. — The  War  Ended. — Burning  of  the  Camp. — 
Mtesa’s  Character 164 


X 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

TO  NYANGWE. 

To  the  Muta  Nzige. — A Haughty  Ally. — Hostile  Natives. — 
Cowardly  Waganda.— Turned  Back. — The  Cowards  Punished. 
— Through  Karagwe. — Meets  Mirambo. — At  Ujiji. — The  Tan- 
ganyika Eising. — Origin  of  the  Lake. — Its  Circumnavigation  Be- 
gun. —A  Desolate  Village. — Lake  Scenery. — In  a Storm. — The 
Lukuga  Eiver. — Conclusions. — Sickness  at  Ujiji. — Sets  out  for 
Nyangwe. — Desertions. — Among  the  Manyema. — Meets  Tippu 
Tib. — Stories  of  Dwarfs. — Bargain  with  Tippu  Tib 175 

CHAPTEE  XVI. 

WITH  TIPPU  TIB. 

Nyangwe. — Difficult  Marching. — Tippu  Tib  Discouraged. — 
Evidence  of  Cannibalism.  — By  Land  and  Eiver. — Overtures  of 
Friendship. — Treachery. —Battle  on  the  Eiver. — Sufferings  of 
the  Party. — In  an  Ambuscade. — Food  Obtained. — A Hospital 
Canoe. — Dwarfs. — Desperate  Battle. — Fortifying  a Village. — 
Continued  Fighting. — A Night  Expedition.—  Canoes  Captured. 
End  of  the  War.— Tippu  Tib  Turns  Back 194 

CHAPTEE  XVII 

INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 

Great  Crises. — The  Opposing  Odds. — The  Probabilities. — 
The  Start. — Cannibal  Warriors. — A Friendly  Eace. — Flatter- 
ing the  Women. — Testing  the  White  Man: — The  Mwana 
Ntaba. — Canoes  Captured. — Further  Fighting. — The  First  Cat- 
aract.— Perils  by  Land  and  Eiver.— Canoe  Wrecked. — Zaidi  in 
the  Cataract.— Uledi  to  the  Eescue. — Saved! — Uledi 208 

CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

TO  STANLEY  POOL. 

Crafty  Aborigines. — Is  it  the  Congo? — Fatalism. — A Enac- 
tion to  Cheerfulness. — More  Hostile  Cannibals. — War!  War! 
War!—  Stanley  Depressed. — The  Cannibals  of  Aruwimi. — Stan- 
ley’s Blood  Up. — Famine. — Pantomime. — The  Con  ;o! — Tattoo- 
ing.— Muskets  Found. — Desperate  Battles. — Pathetic  Indiffer- 
ence.— Death  of  Amina. — Improvement  in  Native  Character. — 
Chumbiri  — Pythons. — Another  Battle. — The  Great  Pool.  . 221 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


xi 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 

Near  the  First  Cataract. — Unreliability  of  Native  Informa- 
tion.— Discovery  of  the  Congo. — Vague  Knowledge. — Futile 
'Explorations. — Tuckey’s  Expedition. — Its  Disastrous  End. — 
First  Cataract  Passed. — Canoes  Over  the  Falls. — Death  of  Ka- 
lulu. — Soudi  lost. — Slow  Progress. — Soudi  Reappears. — His 
Marvelous  Escape. — Wearisome  Advance. — Great  Peril  of 
Stanley. — Providential  Escape 238 

CHAPTER  XX. 

CONTINUED  PERILS. 

A Region  of  Cataracts.— Nubi  Over  the  Falls. — Rescued  by 
Uledi — Thieves  in  the  Camp. — The  Inkisi  Cataract. — Over  the 
Mountain.— Stores  Giving  Out. — New  Canoes  Made,  — Fetish 
Causes  Trouble. — Pocock  Laid  Up. — Who  is  the  Thief? — Trial 
of  Uledi. — Touching  Appeal. — The  Sentence. — The  Notebook 
Raises  a Disturbance 250 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 

Afloat  Once  More. — Reaches  Zinga. — Over  the  Falls. — The 
“Little  Master”  Drowned. — Fatal  Rashness. — Sympathetic  Na- 
tives — Stanley’s  Grief. — Sympathy  of  the  Natives. — Despair  of 
the  Wangwana. — Tearless  Woe. — Wholesale  Desertion. — The 
Deserters  Brought  Back. — Another  Man  Drowned. — Stanley 
Through  the  Rapids — Narrow  Escape.  — Courage  Once  More.  264 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 

Provisions  Scarce. — Slow  Progress. — The  Natives  Assist. — 
Food  not  Purchasable. — Safeni  Crazy  for  Joy. — The  People 
Mad  with  Hunger. — The  River  Abandoned. — “Rum!  Rum!” — 
Couriers  Sent  for  Help. — Insulted  by  the  “Powerful  Man.” — At 
the  Last  Gasp. — “Ah!  That  Uledi;  We  are  Saved,  Thank 
God!” — Reaches  the  Sea. — Hospitable  Reception. — Dangerous 
Reaction. — At  Cape  Town. — Home  at  Last. — Faithful  Follow- 
ers  277 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 

New  Impulse  to  Research. — The  Congo  State. — Size  of 


XU 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


the  Congo. — Other  Explorers. — Territory  Occupied.— Livings- 
tone’s Prayer  Answered. — Real  Pioneers  of  Civilization. — A Gi- 
gantic Commerce. — The  Climate. — Progress  of  Civilization.  291 

CHAPTER  XXI Y. 

THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 

Wrong  Ideas  of  the  African. — The  Negro  a Product  of  the 
Climate. — Different  African  Types. — Monsters  and  Fabulous 
Animals. — Dwarfs. — Dokos. — Obongos. — The  Native  Negro  not 
Prolific. — The  Congo  Empire. — Shinga,  the  Tigress. — The 
Terrible  Jagas. — Tembandumba,  The  Amazon  Queen. — The 
Kingdom  of  Ashantee.  —Dahomey. — The  Sierra  Leone  Negro. — 
Origin  of  the  White  Man. — African  Religion. — Fetishism. — The 
Devil  Driven  Away. — Youdouism. — Witchcraft. — Execution  of 
Witches. — Rain-making. — A Rain-maker’s  Craft. 305 

CHAPTER  XXY. 

CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 

The  Congo  Priesthood. — Imposition. — Immorality. — An- 
cestor Worship. — Horrible  Cruelties. — African  Chiefs. — Tradi- 
tions.— A Beautiful  Legend. — Its  Likeness  to  Others. — Dress 
and  Ornament. — Dirtiness. — An  Odd  Salutation. — Cannibal- 
ism; its  Wide  Extent. — Slaves  of  Precedent. — An  African  Os- 
sian. — Marriage.  — Polygamy.  — Morals.  — Women’s  Rights. — 
Ideas  About  the  White  Man. — The  White  Man  Ridiculous; — 
The  White  Man  a Curiosity 336 

CHAPTER  XXYI. 

PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 

Gen.  Sanford’s  Letter. — Objects  of  the  Organization. — 
Stanley  Wanted  as  Leader. — His  Weariness. — Finally  Accepts. 
Outfit  of  the  Expedition. — Scenery  of  the  Congo. — A Busy  Fac- 
tory.— The  Congo  Flotilla. — Trouble  at  the  Start 370 

CHAPTER  XXYII. 

UP  THE  CONGO. 

Dutch  Enterprise. — Boma,  the  Trading  Station. — Desolate 
Scenery. — The  Five  Chiefs. — Negotiation  for  a Site. — A Bargain 
Made. — Native  Shrewdness. — Founding  of  Yivi  Station. — Its 
Completion 384 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Xlll 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

ROAD  MAKING-  IN  AFRICA. 

Securing  the  Right  of  Way. — A High  Price  for  It. — In  the 
Grass. — Hard  Work. — Mabruki  Finds  Water. — Hospitality  at 
Isangila. — Making  a Road. — Rate  of  Progress. — Gods  of  Uvana. 
Yellala  Falls. — The  Hippopotamus  as  a Civil  Engineer. — Native 
Laborers. — Game  and  Snakes. — First  Section  Completed. — A 
Truculent  Chief. — The  Chief  Fined. — To  Isangila 397 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

SLOW  PROGRESS 

Arrival  of  De  Brazza. — Four  Hundred  Yards  in  a Month. — 
Gored  by  a Buffalo. — To  Manyanga. — Condition  of  the  Party- 
An  African  Dance. — Stricken  with  Fever. — At  the  Gates  of 
Death. — Reinforcements. — Forward  Once  More. — A Fertile  Re- 
gion.— A Flattering  Plunderer. — Arrival  at  Ntamo 408 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

A CRISIS  REACHED. 

Out  of  Food. — Costly  Brotherhood. — Ngalyema’s  Wealth. — 
More  Stores  Sent  For. — Difficult  Advance.  — Susi  Sent  Back. — 
Ngalyema’s  Misrepresentations. — A Second  Advance. — Chief 
Makoko. — An  African  Patriarch. — An  Important  Conference. — 
A Peaceful  Settlement 422 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 

Ngalyema  Hostile. — Preparing  for  War. — A Wordy  Con- 
test.— The  Great  War  Fetish. — Its  Astonishing  Success. — 
Ngalyema  Has  Enough. — On  to  Kintamo. — Ngalyema’s  History 
and  Character. — Mode  of  Controlling  Him. — The  New  Site. — A 
Precarious  Situation. — Frightening  Ngalyema  Again. — Council 


Held. — Great  Ratification. — Leopoldville  Built.  — A Second 
Blood  Brotherhood 432 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 

Ready  to  Advance. — The  Land  and  the  People. — Forward. 
Stanley  Pool. — Mswata. — A Great  Chief. — A Peaceful  Settle- 
ment.— Exploring  the  Kwa  River.— The  Steamer  a Curiosity.— 


XIV 


TABfcE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Two  Kinds  of  Water. — Mosquitoes. — Queen  Gankabi. — An  Af- 
rican Virago. — Stanley  has  His  Way.— Discovers  Lake  Leo- 
pold.— Chasing  a Fisherman. — His  Wonder. — The  Return. — 
Stanley  111 447 

CHAPTER  XXXHI. 

DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 

Stanley  Visits  Europe. — Finds  Great  Disorder  on  His  Re- 
turn.—Reorganization. — Satisfaction  for  Blood, — Leopoldville 
Starving. — Foolish  Would-be  Explorers.— Making  Peace  Once 
More. — Progress  at  Leopoldville. — Warning  of  Gobila. — Review 
of  Congo  Scenery. — The  Rich  Heart  of  the  Continent. — Bol- 
obo. — “Payor  Fight.” — Paid. — Wealthy  Chiefs. — Onward  Once 
More. — Shy  Natives,  but  Friendly.  — Blood  Brotherhood. — The 
Eager  Bakengo.. — Arbitrating  a Civil  War 461 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 

Lake  Mantumba. — A Rescue. — Improvements  at  Leopold- 
ville.— Disasters. — War  Breaks  Out. — Horrible  Deeds. — Greedy 
Wy-Yanzi. — Equator  Station. — Among  the  Bangala. — Tropical 
Verdure. — The  Curious  Langa-Langa. — Timid  Wa-Bumba. — - 
At  the  Aruwimi. — Atrocious  Slavers. — Their  Bloody  Work. — 
Continued  Desolation.— The  Banditti  Overtaken. — Their  Camp. 
— The  Herd  of  Human  Cattle. — WThat  they  Cost 478 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 

Stanley  Falls. — The  Wenya  Fishers.  — Their  Boldness. —A 
Station  at  Stanley  Falls. — Siwa-Siwa  and  His  Friendliness.—^ 
Turning  Homeward.  Thieves.— A Chief’s  Son  Caught. — The 
Plunder  Restored. — A First-class  Funeral. — A Bloody  Cere- 
mony. — Bolobo  Burnt.  — At  Leopoldville.  — Farewell.  — To 
Europe 500 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 

The  Slave  Trade. — Its  Effects. — Its  Variations. — Its  Pre- 
valence.— Its  Horrors. — Efforts  to  Suppress  it. — Baker’s  Exoe- 
dition. — Its  Origin  and  Aim. — Results.  Chinese  Gordon.— 
His  Character. — Disaster  in  the  Soudan.  - Edward  Schnitzer. — 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


XV 


Enters  the  Egyptian  Service. — Perilous  Situation.  —His  Work. 
Belief  Determined  Upon. —Stanley  in  Charge. — Character  of 
the  Expedition 513 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 

Emin’s  Situation;  The  Country  and  People. — Routes  to 
Wadelai. — The  Start  from  Zanzibar. — Bargain  with  Tippu-Tib. 
—Delay  on  the  Congo. — Setting  out  from  Yambuya. — Difficult- 
Progress. — Conflicting  Rumors. — Osman  Digna’s  Trick.— 
Thomson’s  Opinion. — Authentic  New~s 531 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 

Into  the  Forest. — Poisoned  Weapons. — Arab  Raiders  Met. 
—Food  Scarce. — Nelson  Left  Behind. — Famine  and  Desertion. 
— Ibwiri  a Land  of  Plenty. — Into  the  Grass  Lands, — Battles 
with  the  Natives. — Lake  Albert. — No  News  from  Emin. — Re- 
treat to  Fort  Bodo.— To  the  Lake  Once  More.—  Emin  Safe. — His 
Indecision.  — Stanley  Returns  for  the  Rear  Guard. — Its  Terri- 
ble Plight. — Barttelot  Murdered. — Stanley  Without  Bag- 
gage  547 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  RETURN. 

Forward  Once  More. — Fair  Progress.— Small-pox.— Among 
the  Dwarfs. — Famine  Again. — Foragers  Sent  Out. — A Search 
Party. — Several  Die  of  Starvation. — Relief. — To  Fort  Bodo. — 
Letters  From  Jephson 564 

CHAPTER  XL. 

THE  REBELLION. 

Emin  and  Jephson  Seized. — Misrepresentations. — Envoys 
From  the  Mahdi. — The  Mahdists  Defeat  the  Egyptians. — Gen- 
eral Confusion. — Stanley  Warned. — Much  Perplexed.— Reas- 
sures Jephson.— Emin  Still  Hesitates.— Arrives  in  Camp.— 
Preparing  to  Leave. — Unaccountable  Delay. — A Conspiracy 
Detected. — The  Party  Sets  Out. 573 

CHAPTER  XLI. 

HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

A New  Lake.— The  Mountains  of  the  Moon.  ™ The  Extension 


XVI 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


of  the  Victoria. — Source  of  the  White  Nile. — The  Aruwimi. — The 
Congo  Forest. — All  Nature  Sullen. — The  Lakes  of  Africa. — New 
Rivers. — Cave  Dwellers — Dwarfs. — Myths  Prove  Realities. — 
Coincidences. — Battles  with  the  Natives. — The  People  Die  of 
Reaction. — Emin  Hurt 586 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 

Detestable  Characters. — Tippu-Tib’s  Treachery. — English 
Thrusts  at  Stanley. — French  Carpers. — Their  Misstatements. — 
Defective  Policy  of  England. — German  Complaints. — Honors 
for  Stanley. — His  diameter. — The  Cry  of  Africa. — The 
Leaders 600 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS. 


HFRICA ! A world  of  memories  lingers  round  it ! 
It  is  the  birthplace  and  the  grave  of  a great  civ- 
ilization. It  has  ever  been  the  land  of  mystery. 
For  centuries  the  geographers  have  scanned  its  coasts 
and  vainly  wondered  what  lay  within.  For  ages  they 
marked  its  central  territories  as  the  abode  of  griffins, 
dragons,  rocs,  headless  men,  and  other  strange  monsters. 
The  ancients  believed  it  extended  far  away  to  the  south 
into  seas  of  boiling  heat.  Long  after  the  dawn  of  the 
Christian  era  such  fabulous  accounts  were  gravely  ac- 
cepted as  truth  by  otherwise  intelligent  people.  Nor 
Munchausen  nor  Scheherazade  ever  conceived  wilder  fic- 
tions than  the  ancient  geographers  and  historians. 

Strange  the  myriad  myths  and  fables;  no  less 
strange  the  truth.  In  Egypt  arose  the  oldest  civiliza- 
tion, and  from  Egypt  the  sciences  were  carried  into 
Greece.  Here  Sinai  was  born,  and  Calvary  cradled.  In 
Carthage  arose  Rome’s  greatest  rival  and  bitterest  foe. 
In  Africa  was  developed  the  most  massive  architecture 
the  world  has  seen — one  which  the  enginery  of  to-day 
cannot  rival.  You  walk  upon  the  shifting  sands,  and  a 
thousand  relics  and  images  regard  you  with  their  stony 
eyes.  And  those  ancient  relics  tell  of  a race  marvel- 
ously advanced  in  many  of  those  sciences  which  we 

(21) 


22 


THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS. 


are  accustomed  to  regard  as  but  the  offspring  of  the 
past  three  centuries.  The  visitor  in  the  Boulak  mu- 
seum may  look  upon  the  faces  of  a score  of  ancient 
Pharaohs,  including  the  oppressor  of  Israel.  But  its 
power  and  glory  are  no  more ; the  present  is  shrouded 
in  gloom ; the  light  gleams  but  fitfully  on  the  future. 
Each  relic  reads,  “In  memory  of  departed  splendor.” 
Carthage  is  dead;  Hannibal  is  dead;  Cleopatra,  the 
Ptolemies,  Memphis,  Thebes,  all  are  gone.  Cambyses 
conquered  the  Egyptian;  Caesar  overthrew  Pompey; 
the  Saracen  hurled  back  the  Crusader:  England  has 
humbled  the  Saracen.  Only  the  pyramids  remain,  and 
the  sphinx  gazing  with  stony  impassiveness  into  the 
darkness  of  the  future,  heedless  of  the  ephemeral  pig- 
mies that  hewed  it  from  its  rocky  prison. 

What  is  the  land  to-day?  . One  unsurpassed  by 
any  upon  the  globe  in  fertility  and  abundance  of  re- 
sources, yet  less  developed  than  any  other.  The  curse 
of  Noah  rests  upon  it.  Here  is  the  home  of  the  slave ; 
here  the  nursery  of  the  slaver ; what  should  be  an  earthly 
paradise  is  the  hunting  ground  of  fiends.  Where  should 
be  fertile  and  well-improved  fields,  are  loathsome 
marshes,  reeking  with  malaria.  Where  man  has  such 
ample  provision  made  for  him  by  nature,  he  is  more 
filthy  and  brutish  than  elsewhere  under  the  sun.  For 
ages  this  land  has  brought  forth  her  children,  to  be 
poisoned  by  her  own  breasts.  She  offers  her  offspring 
the  treasures  of  her  lap,  and  the  asp  strikes  ere  they 
grasp.  She  broods  over  them  caressing,  and  her  balmy 
breath  strikes  them  corpses  by  her  side.  She  tempts 
them  with  the  fruit  of  a thousand  trees ; but  the  Spirit 
of  the  Swamp  interposes,  and  they  perish.  When  she 
would  warm  their  chilling  limbs,  the  sirocco's  scorching 
blast  shrivels  them,  and  they  are  no  more.  When  she 


LIVINGSTONE  IN  SOUTH  AFRICA, 


24 


THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS. 


would  entrance  them  with  music:  she  crazes  them  with 
discord,  or  with  a horrible  silence.  Her  swarming 
children,  longing  for  happiness  and  light,  see  only  the 
blackness  of  darkness  forever.  Ever  she  holds  forth 
the  promise  of  life ; but  over  all  broods  the  angel  of  death. 

This  land,  whose  favors  are  so  fatal  to  her  own 
children,  is  hostile  to  strangers.  She  resents  each 
attempt  to  unveil  the  dark,  unhappy  lot  of  her  offspring. 
Scores  have  tried  in  vain  to  fathom  her  mysteries; 
others  have  perished  in  the  hour  of  success.  Obstacles 
oppose  them  on  every  side.  Africa  is  a lovely  charnel- 
house. 

Three  mysteries  above  all  others  in  Africa,  have 
attracted  the  attention  of  geographers — the  sources  of 
the  Nile,  the  Niger  and  the  Congo.  The  first  has  ever 
taken  the  precedence.  Flowing  1,500  miles  through  a 
sandy  waste,  in  a land  where  rain  never  falls,  and  which 
depends  solely  upon  it  for  its  fertility,  it  is  little  to  be 
wondered  at  that  the  superstitious  Egyptians  venerated 
as  a god  a stream  that  never  ran  dry.  Often,  in  cen- 
turies past,  have  attempts  been  made  to  discover  its 
source ; but  not  forty  years  have  elapsed  since  the  mys- 
tery was  solved.  Cataracts  impeded  navigation;  the 
Sahara  opposed  all  who  would  penetrate  to  the  Niger 
from  the  north ; one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  up  the 
Congo,  great  falls  and  rapids  impeded  the  traveler’s 
progress.  The  east  coast  was  lined  with  vast  marshes ; 
the  west  with  almost  impenetrable  forests ; either  coast 
has  a range  of  mountains;  on  the  south  is  the  great 
Kalahari  desert. 

The  Niger  was  the  first  to  yield  its  mystery  to  the 
zeal  of  the  explorer.  Early  in  the  present  century, 
Mungo  Park  sailed  up  it,  far  into  the  heart  of  the  con- 
tinent. A period  of  unusual  activity  in  exploration  soon 


THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS.  25 

set  in,  and  the  names  of  Speke,  Grant,  Burton,  Baker, 
Gordon,  and  many  others,  are  associated  with  the  final 
discoveries,  and  the  gradual  development  of  the  coun- 
try. But  we  cannot,  in  the  scope  of  this  work,  give 
more  than  a passing  notice  to  these,  or  to  many  others 
equally  brave  and  deserving  of  honor.  Yet,  ere  we  pro- 
ceed, one  traveler  deserves  much  more  than  mention. 

Not  only  for  his  indomitable  pluck,  but  also  for  his 
enduring  patience ; not  only  for  his  sturdy  self-reliance, 
but  also  for  his  faith  in  God:  not  only  for  the  extent  of 
his  research,  but  also  for  his  sympathy  for  humanity; 
less  for  the  magnitude  of  his  work  than  for  the  philan- 
thropic spirit  that  prompted  it — David  Livingstone,  the 
“weaver  boy”  who  became  the  missionary  explorer,  will 
ever  stand  in  the  van  of  the  host  of  African  travelers, 
Facile  princeps  he : none  too  proud  to  do  him  reverence, 
whom  scientists,  missionaries,  societies  and  nations 
have  delighted  to  honor.  The  geographer  will  point  to 
that  tomb  in  Westminster  Abbey,  and  tell  of  his  dis- 
coveries, and  call  him  a martyr  to  science.  The  savage 
will  point  to  that  lonely  hut  where  he  died  on  his  knees, 
in  the  marsh  at  Ilala,  and  say,  “He  loved  our  nation  and 
gave  up  his  life  to  bring  us  the  gospel.”  Doubt  you 
which  is  the  greater  tribute,  or  truer  estimate? 

Born  in  1815,  David  Livingstone  was  brought  up  in 
comparative  poverty,  but  managed  to  secure  a good 
education  and  became  a practicing  physician.  It  had 
been  his  intention  to  make  China  the  field  of  his  labors, 
and  his  medical  course  had  been  taken  with  that  inten- 
tion. But  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  he  changed  his 
mind,  and  embarked  as  a missionary  to  South  Africa, 
designing  to  devote  his  energies  to  the  wild  tribes  of 
Kaffirs,  Bechuanas,  Bakuenas,  and  others  that  dwelt  in  or 
near  the  borders  of  the  English  -possessions  at  the  Cape. 


26 


THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS. 


He  married  a daughter  of  the  eminent  missionary, 
Robert  Moffat— the  man  who,  under  God,  had  achieved 
so  signal  a triumph  in  the  conversion  of  the  notorious 
Hottentot  chief,  Africaner.  He  first  made  his  headquar- 
ters in  the  domain  of  a powerful  Bakwain  chieftain, 
Sechele.  His  labors  here  were  not  marked  by  any  great 
success,  but  he  was  unconsciously  receiving  a training, 
in  learning  native  manners,  customs  and  dialects,  that 
was  destined  to  be  of  no  little  value  to  him  afterwards. 
Nine  years  were  spent  in  this  field,  in  perils  by  disease, 
in  perils  by  hunger,  by  sickness,  in  danger  from  savage 
beasts,  and  little  less  savage  men.  Once  he  was  nearly 
killed  by  a lion.  From  the  people  he  had  little  to  fear, 
they  at  that  time  having  had  little  experience  in  the 
treachery  of  Portuguese  and  Arab  slave-traders,  and  much 
resembling  in  their  primitive  simplicity  the  red  man  of 
our  own  land,  ere  he  came  in  contact  with  similar 
contaminating  influences. 

In  the  year  1853,  Livingstone  began  that  career  of 
discovery  which  has  made  him  famous  throughout  the 
civilized  world.  Setting  out  with  two  other  travelers,  he 
pushed  northeast  in  search  of  the  great  lake  Ngami, 
of  which  he  had  heard,  but  which  no  white  man  had  ever 
seen.  He  also  wished  to  visit  the  ‘ ‘great  lion”.  Sekeletu,  a 
powerful  Makololo  chieftain  of  whom  he  had  heard  much, 
and  who  lived  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  the  north 
of  it.  He  reached  the  lake  after  two  month’s  journey, 
and  found  it  to  be  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in 
circumference. 

Finding  Sekeletu  friendly,  and  disposed  to  aid  the 
“great  white  Beardie,”  as  the  Makololo  called  the  white 
man,  as  far  as  he  could,  Livingstone  determined  to  push 
northwest  to  the  Portuguese  coast  possessions.  Seke- 
letu rendered  him  valuable  assistance  in  his  project. 


THE  ZAMBESI  FALLS. 


28 


THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS. 


Setting  out  in  November,  after  three  months  of  toiling 
through  gloomy  forests  and  dismal  swamps,  attended 
only  by  his  savage  natives,  he  reached  the  Inongo  valley, 
opening  up  a clear  route  to  the  coast.  Five  months 
after  setting  out  from  the  Makololo  country  he  reached 
St.  Paul  de  Loanda. 

His  next  expedition  entered  Africa  from  the  west 
coast,  and  pushed  across  to  the  east.  This  venture  re- 
sulted in  some  of  his  most  important  discoveries. 
Among  them  may  be  mentioned  the  lake  Nyassa,  the 
Shire  and  Zambesi  rivers,  the  wonderful  f ‘smoke-sound- 
ing” falls  of  the  latter,  beside  which  Niagara  is  a pigmy. 
Most  important  of  all  was  his  discovery  of  the  horrible 
cruelties  perpetrated  by  the  Portuguese  and  Arab  slave- 
traders  in  their  dealings  with  the  inland  natives.  Their 
iniquitous  practices  being  far  from  the  eye  of  the  civi- 
lized world,  and  in  a region  where  power  was  the  only 
law,  they  feared  no  interference  and  carried  on  their 
bloody  traffic  at  will.  Of  the  details  of  this  nefarious 
business,  and  how  Livingstone’s  narrative  stirred  the 
civilized  world,  we  will  speak  in  another  place. 

When  he  returned  to  Africa,  it  was  as  consul  to  the 
port  of  Quillimane,  on  the  south-east  coast.  From  this 
point  he  pushed  inward  and  northward,  and  gained 
much  information  concerning  the  sources  of  the  Nile 
— the  river  that  had  perplexed  the  geographers  for  more 
than  2000  years.  Other  explorers,  stimulated  by  his 
example,  had  also  set  out,  and  ere  many  months  the 
long-mooted  question  was  settled.  Bands  of  mission- 
aries were  in  the  meantime  pushing  up  the  Zambesi 
and  into  the  interior,  and  though  disease  and  disaster 
drove  back  some  and  slew  others,  yet  success  came  at 
last,  and  something  more  substantial  than  scientific  glory 
appeared  as  the  fruits  of  his  labors. 


THE  LAND  OF  DARKNESS. 


29 


But  there  were  still  vexed  questions  to  be  settled. 
The  source  of  the  Nile  was  clear  enough,  but  what  of  the 
great  inland  sea,  Lake  Tanganyika  ? What  of  the  Congo  ? 
What  of  the  southern  portion  of  the  great  watershed  ? 
What  of  the  people  who  dwelt  therein?  What  were 
their  characteristics,  their  habits,  their  needs  ? Could 
not  permanent  communication  be  established  with  them  ? 

With  these  questions  to  solve,  Livingstone  set  out 
(n  1865  for  another  journey.  He  started  from  Zanzibar 
in  March,  1866,  with  a body  of  Sepoys  as  guard,  and 
plunged  once  more  into  the  unknown  wilds  of  central 
Africa.  Days,  weeks,  and  months  went  by;  vague 
rumors  of  his  deeds  from  time  to  time  came  to  the  coast. 
Then  came  leader  of  the  Sepoy  band  and  told 
how  the  great  traveler  had  perished  in  a battle 
with  the  natives,  almost  at  the  beginning  of  his  journey. 

Profound  was  the  sorrow  of  Christendom ; scientists 
had  lost  a leader,  missionaries  a brother,  the  natives  a 
father;  all  mourned  his  untimely  end,  each  declared  his 
own  the  greatest  loss.  Then  came  letters  to  the  coast 
dated  far  in  advance  of  the  place  given  by  the  Johanna 
men  as  the  scene  of  his  death.  He  was  alive,  then. 
The  Johanna  men  had  played  him  false. 

Then  there  was  long  silence.  No  letters  ever  came. 
There  were  vague  rumors  of  a strange  white  man  seen 
far  in  the  interior,  but  these  were  followed  by  a report 
of  his  death. 

Four  years  of  fear  and  uncertainty  passed ; all  En- 
gland and  America  shared  it.  Where  was  Livingstone  ? 
Was  he  alive?  What  was  he  doing?  Was  there  no 
one  to  follow  him  and  learn  his  fate;  to  take  up  his 
work  and  carry  it  on  ? 

The  hour  had  come,  and  unknown  to  himself,  the 
man  was  ready. 


CHAPTER  II. 


STANLEY’S  EARLY  LIFE. 


BOKTY-NINE  years  ago,  while  Livingstone  was 
laboring  as  missionary  in  South  Africa,  there 
was  born  near  Denbigh,  Wales,  a boy  whose 
name  appears  in  the  parish  register  as  John  Rowlands. 
How  poor  he  was  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  at 
the  age  of  three  he  was  placed  in  the  poor-asylum  of 
St.  Asaph.  Here  he  remained  about  nine  years.  He 
was  then  employed  for  a time  as  school-teacher  at  Mold 
in  Flintshire.  But  the  youth  was  of  a restless,  adven- 
turous spirit,  and  was  quickly  dissatisfied  with  his  voca- 
tion. So  he  shipped  as  cabin-boy  in  a vessel  bound  for 
Newr  Orleans,  where  he  began  search  for  employment. 
It  chanced  that  he  fell  in  with  a wealthy  merchant 
named  Henry  Moreland  'Stanley,  who  was  pleased  with 
the  energy  and  aspiration  of  the  adventurous  youth,  and 
adopted  him,  giving  him  his  own  name.  Yet  the  mer- 
cantile life  was  not  exactly  to  the  lad’s  liking.  Comfort 
and  wealth  had  no  great  attractions  for  him.  One  day 
he  disappeared.  His  wealthy  patron  mourned  him  as 
dead.  But  the  youth  had  merely  wandered  away  into 
the  wilds  of  Arkansas,  with  a desire  of  seeing  something 
of  the  wild  life  on  the  frontier.  For  a time  he  dwelt  in 
a rude  cabin  on  the  Washita  river ; then  going  down  to 
the  Mississippi,  he  made  his  way  with  a flat-boat  crew 

(31) 


32 


Stanley’s  early  life. 


back  to  New  Orleans,  where  his  adopted  father  was 
greatly  rejoiced  at  seeing  him  once  more. 

Shortly  after  this  Mr.  Stanley,  Sr.,  died  suddenly, 
intestate ; so  the  young  Welsh  lad  was  once  more  thrown 
entirely  upon  his  own  resources.  Free  to  indulge  his 
roving  propensities  once  more  without  occasioning  anx- 
iety to  any  one,  he  wandered  away  to  the  mining  camps 
of  California,  and  eventually  abode  for  a time  among 
the  Indians. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war,  young  Stanley 
enlisted  in  the  Confederate  army.  In  one  of  his  first 
battles  he  was  captured ; and  as  prison-life  was  decid- 
edly irksome  to  him,  and  as  his  sympathies  were  really 
with  the  Union  cause,  he  soon  concluded  to  change 
sides.  Perhaps  because  they  mistrusted  his  sudden 
conversion,  the  authorities  placed  him  on  board  the  iron- 
clad Ticonderoga.  Though  he  had  had  no  special  train- 
ing for  this  sort  of  life,  he  made  himself  felt  in  all  his 
work,  and  by  the  close  of  the  war  had  become  acting 
ensign. 

The  war  over,  Stanley,  finding  army  life  well  suited 
to  his  restless  temperament,  decided  to  join  the  Cretans, 
just  then  endeavoring  to  throw  off  the  Turkish  yoke. 
Having  obtained  a sort  of  roving  commission  as  corres- 
pondent from  James  Gordon  Bennett,  of  the  New  York 
Herald , he  and  two  companions  went  to  Crete.  But  he 
was  quickly  disgusted  with  the  leaders  of  the  movement, 
and  abandoned  Crete  to  travel  in  the  East.  Here  he 
fell  in  with  Turkish  brigands  and  was  robbed  of  every- 
thing. Appealing  to  the  Turkish  government  through 
the  American  minister  at  Constantinople,  he  managed 
to  procure  funds  sufficient  for  his  immediate  needs  and 
departed  for  England. 

While  on  this  visit  occurred  an  incident  suggesting 


34 


Stanley’s  early  life. 


that  his  early  life  in  the  St.  Asaph  asylum  was  not  of 
the  most  pleasant  character.  He  visited  the  school  at 
St.  Asaph,  and  after  a few  words  to  the  children  pro- 
vided for  them  a bounteous  dinner,  no  doubt  remember- 
ing that  a first-class  dinner  was  not  a common  episode 
of  his  life  in  that  place.  A noteworthy  occasion  that, 
when  the  young  adventurer  who  had  traveled  far  and 
wide  sat  down  once  more  with  the  poor  youths  of  St. 
Asaph.  And  it  is  safe  to  say  that  Stanley  will  be  as 
warmly  remembered  in  that  humble  neighborhood  as  in 
America. 

The  next  year  Stanley  returned  to  America.  In 
1868  he  accompanied  the  English  expedition  against 
King  Theodore,  of  Abyssinia,  as  correspondent  of  the 
New  York  Herald.  In  this  work  he  distinguished  him- 
self. Upon  the  close  of  the  war  he  dispatched  to  Lon- 
don the  news  of  the  success  of  the  British  troops  and  of 
the  death  of  Theodore.  These  facts  were  published  in 
the  London  papers  before  the  arrival  of  the  Government 
dispatches.  The  British  public  was  astonished.  That 
a young  American  newspaper  correspondent  should  beat 
the  British  government  was  something  hitherto  unheard 
of  in  the  annals  of  the  press.  The  custom  had  been 
that  the  Government  first  announced  the  main  features 
and  left  only  the  details  to  be  filled  in  by  correspondents ; 
and  it  created  no  small  amusement  at  the  expense  of 
the  Government,  that  its  method  should  be  so  reversed. 
Moreover,  Stanley’s  letters  contain  the  best  history  yet 
written  of  this  expedition. 

In  1869  Stanley  was  sent  as  correspondent  of  the 
Herald  into  Spain,  then  disturbed  by  a civil  war.  His 
energy  and  ability  gained  him  many  laurels  in  this  field 
also. 

James  Gordon  Bennett  has  ever  been  one  of  the 


ZANZIBAR . 


Stanley’s  early  life. 


as 

most  enterprising  of  modern  journalists.  While  the  war 
in  Spain  was  progressing,  Mr.  Bennett  was  paying  no 
small  attention  to  the  interest  manifested  in  the  proba- 
ble fate  of  Dr.  Livingstone.  The  many  conflicting  ru- 
mors which  had  reached  England  had  decided  many 
persons  that  an  expedition  should  be  sent  to  search  for 
him,  but  the  British  government,  when  the  matter  was 
laid  before  it,  flatly  refused  to  do  anything  in  that  di- 
rection. Meanwhile  the  Boyal  Geographical  Society, 
ashamed  of  the  indifference  of  the  Government,  had 
opened  a subscription  list  to  defray  the  expense  of  a 
search  expedition.  Bennett  coolly  considered  the  mat- 
ter, and  decided  that  it  would  be  a feather  in  the  Her- 
alds’ cap  if  he  should  find  Livingstone  himself.  Stan- 
ley’s readiness  for  emergency,  and  Bennett’s  iron  deter- 
mination are  best  shown  by  the  conversation  between 
them  on  this  subject. 

October  16,  1869,  Stanley,  just  returned  from  Val- 
encia, was  sitting  in  his  hotel  in  Madrid,  when  there 
was  handed  him  a telegram  : “Come  to  Paris  on  import- 
ant business.”  Promptly  the  young  man  made  his  ar- 
rangements, packed  his  belongings,  bade  good-bye  to  his 
friends,  and  at  3 p.  m.  was  on  his  way  to  Paris ; for  what 
purpose  he  knew  not.  He  reached  Paris  the  following 
night,  went  straight  to  the  Grand  Hotel  and  knocked  at 
the  door  of  Mr.  Bennett’s  room.  Of  the  ensuing  conver- 
sation we  will  let  Mr.  Stanley  tell  his  own  story : 

“ ‘ Come  in !’  I heard  a voice  say.  Entering,  I 
found  Mr.  Bennett  in  bed. 

“ ‘ Who  are  you?  ’ he  asked. 

“ « My  name  is  Stanley,’  I answered. 

“ 4 Ah,  yes  ! Sit  down ; I have  important  business  on 
hand  for  you.’ 

“ After  throwing  over  his  shoulders  his  robe-de- 


Stanley’s  early  life. 


37 


chambre,  Mr.  Bennett  asked : ‘ Where  do  you  think 
Livingstone  is?’ 

“ ‘ I really  do  not  know,  sir.’ 

“ ‘ Do  you  think  he  is  alive  ? 

“ ‘He  may  be,  and  he  may  not  be,’  I answered. 

“ ‘ Well,  I think  he  is  alive,  and  that  he  can  be 
found,  and  I am  going  to  send  you  to  find  him/’ 

“ ‘ What !’  said  I,  ‘ do  you  really  think  I can  find  Dr. 
Livingstone?  Do  you  mean  me  to  go  to  Central 
Africa  ? ’ 

“‘Yes,  I mean  that  you  shall  go  and  find  him, 
wherever  you  hear  that  he  is,  and  get  what  news  you 
can  of  him ; and,  perhaps’ — delivering  himself  thought- 
fully and  deliberately— ‘ the  old  man  may  be  in  want. 
Take  enough  with  you  to  help  him,  should  he  require 
it.  Of  course,  you  will  act  according  to  your  own  plans, 
and  you  will  do  what  is  best — BUT  FIND  LIVING- 
STONE ! 5 

“ Said  I,  wondering  at  the  cool  order  of  sending  one 
to  Central  Africa  to  search  for  a man  whom  I,  in  com- 
mon with  most  other  men,  believed  to  be  dead : ‘ Have 
you  considered  seriously  the  expense  you  are  liable  to 
incur  on  account  of  this  little  journey?  ’ 

“ ‘ What  will  it  cost  ? 9 he  asked,  abruptly. 

“‘Burton  and  Speke’s  journey  to  Central  Africa 
cost  between  ^£3,000  and  ^£5,000,  and  I fear  it  cannot 
be  done  under  i£2,500.’ 

“ ‘ Well,  I will  tell  you  what  I will  do.  Draw  a 
thousand  pounds  now,  and  when  you  have  spent  that, 
draw  another  thousand,  and  when  that  is  spent,  draw 
another  thousand,  and  when  you  have  finished  that, 
draw  another  thousand,  and  so  on — but  FIND  LIV- 
INGSTONE.’ 

“Surprise^,  but  not  confused,  at  the  order,  for  I 


Stanley’s  early  life. 


as 

knew  that  Mr.  Bennett,  when  he  once  made  up  his  mind, 
was  not  easily  drawn  aside  from  his  purpose,  I yet 
thought,  seeing  it  was  such  a gigantic  scheme,  that  he 
had  not  quite  considered  in  his  own  mind  the  pros  and 
cons  of  the  case.  I said : 4 1 have  heard  that  should  your 

father  die  you  would  sell  the  Herald , and  retire  from 
business.’ 

44  4 Whoever  told  you  is  wrong,  for  there  is  not  money 
enough  in  the  United  States  to  buy  the  New  York  Herald. 
My  father  has  made  it  a great  paper,  but  I mean  to 
make  it  greater.  I mean  that  it  shall  publish  whatever 
news  shall  be  useful  to  the  world,  at  no  matter  what  cost ! ’ 

“‘After  that,  said  I,  ‘I  have  nothing  more  to  say. 
Do  you  mean  me  to  go  straight  on  to  Africa  to  search 
for  Dr.  Livingstone  ? ’ 

44  4 No : I wish  you  to  go  to  the  inauguration  of  the 
Suez  Canal  first,  and  then  proceed  up  the  Nile.  I 
hear  Baker  is  about  starting  for  Upper  Egypt.  Find 
out  what  you  can  about  his  expedition,  and,  as  you  go 
up,  describe  as  well  as  possible  whatever  is  interesting  for 
tourists,  and  then  write  up  a guide — a practical  one — 
for  Lower  Egypt;  tell  us  about  whatever  is  worth  seeing, 
and  how  to  see  it. 

“Then  you  might  as  well  goto  Jerusalem;  I hear 
that  Captain  Warren  is  making  some  interesting  dis- 
coveries there.  Then  visit  Constantinople,  and  find  out 
about  the  Khedive  and  the  Sultan. 

“ 4 Then — let  me  see — you  might  as  well  visit  the 
Crimea  and  those  old  battle-grounds.  Then  go  across 
the  Caucasus  to  the  Caspian  Sea.  I hear  there  is  a 
Bussian  expedition  bound  for  Khiva.  From  thence  you 
may  go  through  Persia  to  India;  you  could  wrto  an  in- 
teresting letter  from  Persepolis. 

“ 4 Bagdad  will  be  close  to  your  wavAo  India ; sup- 


. 1 


Stanley’s  early  life  . 


pose  you  go  there  and  write  up  something  about  the 
Euphrates  Yalley  Railway.  Then,  when  you  have  come 
to  India,  you  may  go  after  Dr.  Livingstone.  Probably 
you  will  hear  by  that  time  that  Livingstone  is  on  his  way 
to  Zanzibar;  but,  if  not,  go  into  the  interior  and  find 
him,  if  alive.  Get  what  news  of  his  discoveries  you 
can ; and  if  you  find  that  he  is  dead,  bring  all  possible 
proofs  you  can  of  his  being  dead.  That  is  all.  Good 
night,  and  God  be  with  you.’ 

“ ‘Good  night,  sir,’  I said;  ‘what  is  in  the  power  of 
human  nature  I will  do ; and  on  such  an  errand  as  I go 
upon  God  will  be  with  me.’” 

Such  was  the  commission  given  to  Stanley.  The 
reading  public,  on  hearing  of  it,  pronounced  it  a shrewd 
advertising  dodge  of  Mr.  Bennett.  The  reasons  for  their 
opinions  were  very  plausible.  If  Bennett  really  meant 
to  find  Livingstone,  why  did  he  not  select  some  ex- 
perienced African  traveler  to  lead  the  expedition  ? Such 
a man  as  Samuel  Baker,  or  Speke,  would  give  it  a pres- 
tige not  to  be  derived  from  a comparatively  unknown 
newspaper  correspondent,  to  say  nothing  of  the  advan- 
tage experience  would  give.  Moreover,  Stanley  was  a man 
wholly  unacquainted  with  scientific  pursuits.  What  could 
the  scientific  world  hope  to  gain  from  such  leadership  ? 

But  Mr.  Bennett  was  not  sending  out  an  expedition 
for  scientific  research ; he  simply  wished  to  find  Living- 
stone, and  he  selected  a leader  with  that  end  only  in 
view.  Scientific  expeditions  would  be  subject  to  fre- 
quent delays,  and  Bennett,  having  a single  end  in  view, 
wanted  a man  who  would  stop  for  nothing.  He  knew 
his  young  correspondent  was  unacquainted  with  Africa, 
or  with  modes  of  African  travel,  but  he  knew  that  he 
had  a fertility  of  resource  and  an  indomitable  will  that 
would  carry  him  over  all  obstacles. 


Stanley’s  early  life. 


41 


It  will  be  seen  from  the  account  already  given  of 
Stanley’s  life,  that  he  was  really  eminently  fitted  for  the 
task  assigned  him.  His  training  had  been  thoroughly 
cosmopolitan.  Of  late  years  he  had  been  much  in  court 
and  camp,  and  had  acquired  the  ease,  tact  and  readi- 
ness that  belong  only  to  a thoroughly  polished  man  of 
the  world.  His  earlier  years,  as  we  have  seen,  had  been 
spent  amid  the  wilder  and  rougher  classes  of  mankind. 
He  was  thoroughly  inured  to  hardship,  and  well  pre- 
pared for  any  difficulties  he  might  encounter. 

Stanley  followed  out  in  detail  the  route  laid  down 
by  Mr.  Bennett.  First,  he  visited  Sir  Samuel  Baker’s 
expedition.  From  Egypt  he  went  to  Jerusalem,  and 
wrote  an  account  of  Captain  Warrens’  discoveries  there. 
From  Palestine,  he  went  to  Constantinople ; from  Con- 
stantinople he  went  through  the  Crimean  Peninsula ; 
thence  he  went  through  Asia  Minor- to  Persia.  Leaving 
Persia  he  went  to  India,  arriving  there  ten  months  after 
setting  out  from  Paris.  Two  months  later,  he  sailed 
from  Bombay  for  Zanzibar,  where  he  arrived  on  the  6th 
of  January,  1871. 

This  town,  situated  on  an  island  of  the  same  name, 
twenty-five  miles  from  the  mainland,  is  by  far  the  most 
important  shipping  point  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa. 
It  is  controlled  by  the  Arabs,  and  is  governed  by  a Sul- 
tan of  its  own.  It  is  the  supply  point  for  all  caravans 
destined  for  the  great  central  plateau.  Its  chief  ex- 
ports are  ivory,  gum  copal,  dye-woods,  hides,  and  slaves. 
Its  chief  articles  of  barter  in  return  for  these,  beads, 
cloth,  brass  wire,  some  hardware,  and  cheap  trinkets  of 
various  sorts. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


ON  arriving  at  Zanzibar,  Stanley  immediately  be- 
gan to  prepare  for  his  journey  to  the  interior. 
After  vainly  trying  to  figure  out  for  himself  the 
necessary  outfit  for  this  expedition,  he  consulted  an 
Arab  merchant  who  had  had  much  experience  in  fitting 
out  caravans.  From  him  Stanley  gained  more  useful 
information  than  he  had  gathered  in  three  months’  pe- 
rusal of  books.  Foreign  goods  being  the  only  medium 
of  exchange  among  native  tribes,  it  was  necessary  to 
procure  a sufficient  supply  before  leaving  Zanzibar. 
Accordingly,  he  purchased  three  thousand,  six  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  of  various  kinds  of  cloth,  sacks  of  eleven 
varieties  of  beads,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
of  brass  wire.  This  amount  of  currency  he  calculated 
would  be  ample  for  his  needs  during  twelve  months.  He 
then  set  about  securing  the  necessary  men,  donkeys, 
etc.,  to  complete  his  caravan.  A Scotchman  named 
Farquhar,  first  mate  of  the  vessel  in  which  he  had 
come  to  Zanzibar,  he  secured  to  accompany  him  as  first 
in  rank.  Next  to  him,  an  Englishman  named  Shaw 
was  engaged.  Five  men  who  had  accompanied  “Speke’s 
Faithfuls,”  were  then  employed.  One  of  these,  Mom: 
bai,  nicknamed  Bombay,  was  made  headman,  or  kiran- 
gozi , at  $80  per  annum.  He  then  secured  as  soldiers 
eighteen  men,  paying  them  three  dollars  per  month. 

(42) 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


43 

On  the  4th  of  February,  having  completed  his  equip- 
ment, Stanley  sailed  for  Bagamoyo,  a place  twenty-five 
miles  distant  on  the  mainland.  This  place  is  the  start- 
ing point  of  all  caravans  for  the  interior.  Here  he  Was 
to  hire  one  hundred  and  forty,  or  more,  carriers. 

Having  overcome  many  difficulties,  six  weeks  after 
his  arrival  at  Bagamoyo,  he  was  ready  to  start.  His 
force  was  divided  into  five  caravans,  comprising,  in  all, 
one  hundred  and  ninety  men. 

It  was  just  seventy-three  days  after  he  landed  at 
Zanzibar  that  Stanley,  full  of  hope  and  courage,  left 
Bagamoyo  with  his  last  caravan.  He  had  now  fairly 
started  on  his  long  journey  to  the  interior  to  find  Liv- 
ingstone. 

Though  bound  to  the  same  point  that'  Speke  and 
Burton  had  reached,  Ujiji,  Stanley  took  a route  never  be- 
fore traveled  by  a white  man.  Leaving  Kikoka,  a small 
collection  of  rude  huts,  he  went  westward  over  a rolling 
country  till  he  came  to  Rosako,  in  the  province  of  Ukwee. 
As  he  was  about  starting  the  next  morning,  Magonga, 
the  leader  of  the  fourth  caravan,  came  and  reported  three 
carriers  sick,  and  asked  for  medicine  for  them.  Stanley 
found  the  three  men  in  terror,  believing  they  were  about 
to  die,  and  crying  like  children,  “Mama,  mama  !”  Leav- 
ing this  caravan  with  orders  to  come  on  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, he  proceeded  on  his  journey.  So  anxious  was  he 
about  them,  that  he  halted  after  a march  of  nine  miles. 
Three  days  having  elapsed  without  the  arrival  of  the 
caravan,  two  men  were  sent  after  it,  who  brought  it  up 
on  the  fourth  day.  Pushing  on  five  miles,  he  came  to 
the  village  of  Kingaru.  At  this  place,  on  the  first  of 
April,  a valuable  horse  died.  The  burial  of  the  carcass 
without  the  permission  of  the  villagers  raised  a tremen- 
dous commotion.  A consultation  among  the  villagers 


HOSTILE  DEMONSTRATIONS. 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


45 


resulted  in  the  wrinkled  old  chief  presenting  himself  to 
Stanley  to  demand  satisfaction.  Stanley  therefore  gave 
orders  to  dig  up  the  horse,  and  drag  it  back  to  where 
it  died.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and  the  old  chief 
begged  that  the  horse  might  remain  buried.  At  this 
place,  also,  his  last  horse  died,  leaving  him  to  ride  a 
donkey. 

An  exceedingly  laborious  march  through  a thick 
jungle  brought  him  to  Msuwa,  where  he  halted  that 
men  and  animals  might  recuperate.  The  chief  of  this 
village  proved  very  friendly,  and  both  chief  and  subjects 
displayed  a degree  of  intelligence  above  the  average  na- 
tive. 

Leaving  this  hospitable  village,  he  traveled  on  to 
Kisemo,  twelve  miles  from  Msuwa.  This  is  the  center 
of  a populous  district,  there  being  five  villages  in  the  vi- 
cinity, fortified  by  stakes  and  thorny  abattis. 

While  here,  a curious  superstition  was  brought  to 
light  by  Shaw  removing  a stone  while  putting  up  his 
tent.  A chief  rushed  forward,  replaced  the  stone,  and 
solemnly  stood  on  it.  On  being  asked  what  was  the 
matter,  he  carefully  lifted  it,  and  showed  an  insect  un- 
derneath, pinned  firmly  by  a stick  to  the  ground,  which 
he  said  had  been  the  cause  of  a miscarriage  of  a female 
of  the  village. 

A delightful  journey  over  good  roads  through  an 
open  country  brought  them  the  next  day  to  Munondi, 
on  the  Ungerangeri  river.  Crossing  the  river,  they  en- 
tered the  Wakami  territory.  For  two  days  the  road 
lay  through  charming  country.  A third  day’s  march 
through  a forest,  brought  them  to  the  territory  of  the 
Waseguhha.  Here  he  met  an  Arab  chief,  with  a caravan 
bound  east,  who  told  him  that  he  had  met  Livingstone 
at  Ujiji.  He  said  that  Livingstone  had  been  sick,  but 


46 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


was  fully  recovered,  and  was  going  to  visit  a country 
called  Monyima.  This  was  cheering  news  to  Stanley, 
and  inspired  him  with  hope.  The  valley  here  was  fruit- 
ful, and  more  like  some  parts  of  our  fertile  west  than  a 
desert.  The  natives,  however,  were  much  more  brutal 
than  any  yet  seen,  and  accompanied  their  demands  with 
threats.  For  a time,  indeed,  they  seemed  disposed  to 
oppose  their  passage  completely. 

Continuing  along  the  valley  of  the  river,  they  arrived 
at  Simbamwenni,  a walled  town  containing  a thousand 
houses.  The  fame  of  Stanley  had  preceded  him,  and  a 
thousand  or  more  inhabitants  came  out  to  see  him. 

This  town  of  Simbamwenni  was  built  by  Kisabengo, 
a notorious  robber  chieftain,  who  fled  from  justice  at 
Zanzibar,  and  gathered  about  him  malcontents  and  run- 
away slaves  from  various  quarters.  In  his  old  age, 
the  old  fellow  changed  his  name  to  that  of  the  town, 
which  means  “The  Lion  City.”  Bestowing  his  power 
upon  his  eldest  daughter  at  his  death,  he  gave  her  the 
iame  name 

Stanley  was  a great  curiosity  to  the  people.  Won- 
derful stories  had  been  told  of  the  “ Great  White  Man.” 
Marvelous  was  his  power  and  wealth.  Farquhar,  with 
one  caravan,  had  already  passed : but  seeing  how  rich 
the  Great  White  Man  was,  the  sultana  sent  her  chiefs 
for  an  additional  tax.  Stanley  informed  them  he  was 
not  in  the  habit  of  paying  two  tolls  for  one  passage ; 
whereat  the  chiefs  departed  much  chagrined.  Going 
four  miles  beyond  the  town,  Stanley  camped  unmolested. 
While  resting  the  caravan  here  he  was  attacked  by  the 
African  fever,  but  powerful  doses  of  quinine  restored 
him  to  health  in  a few  days. 

Stanley  had  now  traveled  one  hundred  and  nine- 
teen miles  in  fourteen  marches,  occupying  one  entire 


48 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


month,  lacking  one  day,  making  an  average  of  four 
miles  a day.  The  rainy  season  now  set  in,  compelling 
him  to  halt,  while  almost  every  variety  of  insects  took 
possession  of  his  tent. 

To  one  unacquainted  with  African  travel,  such 
progress  seems  remarkably  slow.  But  few  people  have 
a proper  appreciation  of  the  difficulties  to  be  surmounted. 
Unlike  more  temperate  regions,  Tropical  Africa  has  a 
rainy  and  a dry  season.  During  the  latter,  compara- 
tively good  progress  can  be  made,  but  nearly  all  this 
region  consists  of  a gently  sloping  table  land,  which, 
during  the  rainy  season,  becomes  simply  a vast  marsh. 
One  who  has  never  seen  an  African  tempest  can  have 
no  idea  of  its  violence,  or  of  its  brilliant  electrical  dis- 
plays. The  rivers  of  this  district  are  ordinarily  insig- 
nificant, but  the  rainy  season,  which  commences  shortly 
after  the  vernal  equinox,  causes  them  to  overflow  their 
banks  for  miles.  This  causes  the  traveler  to  lose  much 
time  in  unloading  and  reloading  the  animals,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  continual  sickness  engendered  by  the  ma- 
larial atmosphere. 

Another  great  annoyance  of  the  African  traveler  is 
the  great  variety  of  insects  that  beset  him  in  every  por- 
tion of  the  country.  Most  dangerous  of  all  these  is  the 
tsetse  fly,  which  attacks  nearly  all  beasts  of  burden, 
showing  preference,  however,  for  the  camel  and  the  ox. 
These  animals  are  soon  killed  by  its  bites.  The  goat  is 
not  injured  by  it,  and  consequently  is  about  the  only 
domestic  animal  kept  by  the  natives  in  the  sections  in- 
fested by  the  tsetse.  This  insect  is  a third  larger  than 
our  common  house-fly.  and  has  longer  wings.  There 
are  two  other  flies  that  are  very  annoying,  but  not  so 
dangerous  as  it  is.  One  of  these  is  about  the  size 
of  a bee,  and  fights  viciously  when  captured.  It  is  very 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


49 


active,  and  not  very  common.  The  other  much  resem- 
bles the  small  green  horse-fly  of  our  American  prairies. 
Fortunately,  the  tsetse  has  the  peculiarity  of  confining 
itself  to  certain  spots.  One  bank  of  river  may  swarm 
with  the  pests,  and  on  the  other  none  be  ever  seen.  It 
does  not  appear  to  attack  any  but  herbivorous  animals. 
Just  why  it  remains  in  certain  localities  only  is  not 
known.  Its  habitat  is  chiefly  the  southern  and  eastern 
portion  of  Africa ; toward  the  west  coast  it  is  not  known. 

Travelers  in  Africa  are  compelled  to  procure  all 
supplies  of  provisions  from  the  villagers  through  whose 
country  they  travel.  Consequently,  when,  during  the 
wet  season,  they  find  the  country  flooded,  and  the  vil- 
lagers themselves  short  of  provisions,  the  trouble  is  in- 
creased. Not  only  does  the  explorer  himself  go  hun- 
gry, or  sleep  on  the  wet  ground,  but  he  also  has  the  con- 
tinual fear  of  a mutiny  of  his  men  before  his  eyes,  and 
the  ever-present  danger  of  broils  with  the  natives,  pro- 
duced by  the  stealing  of  their  provisions  by  his  men. 

But  even  in  the  dry  season  obstacles  are  numerous. 
There  are  no  roads  in  Africa.  The  traveler  finds  him- 
self compelled  to  select  some  general  direction,  and  fol- 
low the  narrow  footpaths  from  village  to  village.  These 
narrow  ways  in  the  jungle  afford  great  facilities  for  am- 
buscade to  hostile  natives. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  serious  difficulties  to  be 
encountered.  Petty  jealousies  are  legion  in  the  relations 
of  African  tribes.  The  traveler  finds  himself  well  treated 
by  one  tribe ; and  that  is  a sufficient  pretext  for  the  next 
one  to  oppose  his  passage.  It  matters  not  that  the 
explorer  preserves  a strict  neutrality  in  tribal  feuds. 
The  natives  insist  that  trading  with  their  enemies  is  a 
virtual  alliance  with  them,  and  oppose  him  accordingly. 
Or  perchance  some  blackmailing  vagabond  chieftain  will 


50 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


conclude  that  he  has  not  been  paid  sufficient  passage 
tribute,  and  accordingly  lays  an  ambuscade  for  the  unwary 
traveler. 

Speke  and  Grant  suffered  severely  in  this  way,  and 
Livingstone  was  nearly  killed  in  one  such.  Hence,  the 
traveler  must  proceed  with  the  utmost  caution,  and  care- 
fully ascertain  the  relations  between  neighboring  tribes, 
and  also  their  superstitions. 

Furthermore,  East  African  paths  are  thickly  lined 
with  the  sharp,  “wait-a-bit”  thorns — a shrub  which, 
at  the  height  of  four  or  five  feet  from  the  ground,  pro- 
duces large  clusters  of  very  long,  strong  thorns.  There 
is  also  a large  creeper,  with  a flat  stem,  which,  at  every 
few  inches,  produces  similar  clusters  of  thorns.  The 
animal,  or  man,  whose  load  is  caught  by  these  thorns, 
usually  requires  assistance  ere  he  can  extricate  himself. 
The  reader  will  thus  appreciate  the  peculiar  aptness  of 
the  name  “wait-a-bit.” 

Let  Stanley  describe  a few  minutes  in  an  African 
jungle.  He  had  left  the  main  road,  endeavoring  to  find 
a better  path,  and  in  order  to  travel  quickly)  had 
donned  a light  flannel  suit,  and  canvas  shoes. 

“As  might  be  expected,  before  I had  gone  a few 
paces,  a branch  of  the  acacia  horrida — only  one  of  a 
hundred  such  annoyances — caught  the  right  leg  of  my 
'pyjamas  at  the  knee,  and  ripped  it  almost  clean  off ; 
succeeding  which  a stumpy  kolquall  caught  me  by  the 
shoulder,  and  another  rip  was  the  inevitable  consequence. 
A few  yards  farther  on  a prickly  aloetic  plant  disfigured 
by  a wide  tear  the  other  leg  of  my  pyjamas,  and  almost 
immediately  I tripped  against  a convolvulus  strong  as 
ratline,  and  was  made  to  measure  my  length  on  a bed 
of  thorns.  It  was  on  all  fours,  like  a hound  on  a scent, 
that  I was  compelled  to  travel ; my  solar  topee  getting 


THE  EXPEDITION. 


51 


the  worse  for  wear  every  minute,  my  skin  getting  more 
and  more  wounded,  my  clothes  at  each  step  becoming 
more  and  more  tattered.  Besides  these  discomforts, 
there  was  a pungent,  acrid  plant,  which,  apart  from  its 
strong  odorous  emissions,  struck  me  smartly  on  the  face, 
leaving  a burning  effect  similar  to  cayenne ; and  the 
atmosphere,  pent  in  by  the  density  of  the  jungle,  was 
hot  and  stifling,  and  the  perspiration  transuded  through 
every  pore,  making  my  flannel  tatters  feel  as  if  I had 
been  through  a shower.  When  I had  finally  regained 
the  plain,  and  could  breath  freely,  I mentally  vowed  that 
the  penetralia  of  an  African  jungle  should  not  be  visited 
by  me  again,  save  under  most  urgent  necessity.” 


CHAPTER  IV. 


DELAYS  AND  LOSSES. 


ON  THE  5th  of  April,  the  rain  having  tempo- 
rarily ceased,  Stanley  crossed  the  swollen  river, 
by  means  of  a very  primitive  bridge,  the  don- 
keys being  compelled  to  swim  over.  Five  hours  were 
spent  in  the  passage,  yet  no  accidents  occurred.  Re- 
loading his  baggage,  he  left  the  river,  going  in  a northerly 
direction. 

Leaving  the  damp  and  hateful  valley,  he  ascended 
to  higher  ground,  passing  through  successive  glades, 
opening  one  after  another  between  clumps  of  trees 
hemmed  in  by  isolated  peaks  and  scattered  mountains. 
Five  miles  northwest  from  the  Ungerengeri  crossing,  at 
the  foot  of  a well  watered  slope,  he  came  to  a place 
which  the  natives  call  Simbo. 

In  the  morning,  as  he  was  about  to  leave  Simbo, 
his  Arab  cook,  being  caught  pilfering  for  the  fifth  time, 
was  ordered  a dozen  lashes.  The  blows  being  given 
through  his  clothes  did  not  hurt  much,  but  being  told 
that  he,  with  his  donkey  and  baggage,  should  be  driven 
from  the  camp  into  the  forest,  he  left  everything  and 
rushed  off  to  the  mountains.  Stanley,  having  no  idea 
of  leaving  him  to  perish,  and  wishing  only  to  frighten 
him,  sent  two  men  to  recall  him.  But  the  man  kept  on 

es2) 


A CAMP  IN  THE  RAIN . 


54 


DELAYS  AND  LOSSES. 


to  the  mountains,  and  was  soon  lost  from  sight.  Be- 
lieving the  man  would  return,  Stanley  had  his  donkey 
tied  to  a tree  and  marched  on  with  the  caravan.  Pass- 
ing through  Makata  valley,  they  halted  at  Kehenneko,  at 
the  base  of  the  Usagara  mountains.  In  the  lower  portions 
of  the  valley,  the  mud  was  so  deep  that  it  took  ten  hours 
to  go  ten  miles.  They  were  compelled  to  encamp  in  the 
forest  when  only  half-way  across.  Bombay,  with  the 
cart,  did  not  arrive  till  nearly  midnight.  He  reported 
the  loss  of  the  property-tent,  an  axe,  coats,  shirts,  beads, 
cloth,  pistol,  powder,  and  a hatchet.  He  said  they 
disappeared  while  he  was  away  helping  to  lift  the  cart 
out  of  a mud-hole.  This,  told  to  Stanley  at  midnight, 
roused  his  indignation,  and  he  abused  the  Arab  freely, 
overhauling  his  conduct  from  the  start.  He  then  dis- 
missed him,  with  orders  to  return  at  daylight  and  find 
the  missing  property.  Stanley  sent  four  more  men  after 
the  missing  cook,  and  halted  here  three  days  awaiting 
their  return.  On  the  fourth  day,  Shaw  and  two  more 
soldiers  were  sent  in  quest  of  the  missing  men.  Toward 
night  he  returned  with  the  men,  but  without  the  cook. 
The  soldiers  reported  that  they  went  back  immediately 
to  Simbo,  and  not  finding  the  man,  they  went  to  the 
bridge,  and  inquired  if  he  had  crossed.  Being  told  that 
a white  donkey,  driven  by  some  Washensi,  had  crossed 
the  river  at  another  place,  they  hastened  to  the  walled 
town  and  reported  their  loss.  They  were  immediately 
conducted  to  the  sultana,  to  whom  they  told  their  story. 
The  sultana  at  once  sent  twenty  of  her  musketeers  to 
Muhalleh,  in  pursuit  of  the  Washensi.  Before  night  ihe 
musketeers  returned,  bringing  the  Washensi,  the  donkey 
and  the  cook’s  entire  kit.  The  sultana,  who  is  possessed 
of  her  father’s  energy,  as  well  as  his  greed,  had  all 
brought  before  her  at  once.  The  Washensi,  being 


BELAtS  AND  LOSSES. 


55 


questioned  as  to  how  they  came  m possession  of  the 
donkey,  and  other  property,  stated  that  they  had  found 
the  donkey  tied  to  a tree  and  the  property  on  the  ground 
close  by ; that,  seeing  no  owner  in  the  neighborhood,  they 
had  taken  all  with  them,  thinking  they  had  a perfect 
right  to  it.  Stanley’s  soldiers  were  then  asked  if  they 
recognized  the  donkey  and  property,  to  which  they  re- 
plied in  the  affirmative,  and  further  stated  that  they  had 
been  sent  after  the  owner  also,  and  would  like  to  know 
what  the  Washensi  had  done  with  him.  The  sultana, 
to  find  out  the  truth,  charged  the  Washensi  with  murder- 
ing the  cook,  and  asked  what  they  had  done  with  the 
body.  The  Washensi  were  firm  in  their  protestations 
that  they  had  told  the  truth,  and  had  never  seen  the 
man  described.  The  sultana,  believing  they  were  lying, 
ordered  them  to  be  chained  and  sent  to  Zanzibar  to  Syed 
Burghash,  who  would  know  what  to  do  with  them.  She 
then  demanded  of  Stanley’s  soldiers  why  the  muzungu 
had  not  paid  the  tribute  for  which  she  had  sent  her 
chiefs.  The  soldiers,  knowing  nothing  of  their  master’s 
affairs,  could  not  answer.  Thereupon  she  seized  the 
effects  and  divided  them  with  her  chiefs,  while  the 
soldiers  were  chained  till  Stanley  should  come  himself 
and  release  them. 

The  next  day,  however,  Sheikh  Thani,  who  had  met 
Stanley  at  Kingaru,  arrived  at  the  town,  saw  the  men  in 
chains,  and  recognized  them.  After  hearing  their  story 
he  went  at  once  to  the  sultana,  and  by  a very  exagger- 
ated report  of  Stanley’s  power,  induced  her  to  release 
the  men.  His  account  of  Stanley’s  repeating  rifles  was, 
that  Stanley  had  ten  guns  shooting  forty  times  without 
stopping  and  carrying  half  an  hour’s  distance ; also  sev- 
eral guns  carrying  bullets  that  would  burst  inside  of  a 
man  and  tear  him  to  pieces.  This  so  frightened  the 


56 


DELAYS  AND  LOSSES. 


covetous  sultana  that  she  was  glad  to  let  the  men  go, 
and  give  back  the  donkey,  one  gun  with  a supply  of 
powder  and  bullets,  besides  food  sufficient  to  last  the 
caravan  four  days.  The  sheikh  took  charge  of  them  as 
far  as  Simbo ; and  here,  partaking  largely  of  rice  and 
ghee,  Shaw  found  them,  when  the  same  hospitality  was 
extended  to  him  also. 

This  occurrence  filled  Stanley  with  regret  at  the 
course  he  had  taken,  and  he  resolved  never  to  drive  out 
another  member  of  his  caravan  to  perish  by  assassins. 

Although  greatly  incensed  by  the  treatment  his 
soldiers  received  at  the  hands  of  the  sultana,  and  the 
tribute  she  exacted,  he  did  not  deem  it  advisable  to  lose 
further  time  over  the  matter,  and  accordingly  set  forth, 
despite  the  rain  which  was  coming  down  in  torrents. 
Shaw  was  sick,  consequently  the  whole  care  of  driving 
the  caravan  devolved  on  Stanley.  It  took  two  hours  to 
cross  the  miry  plain,  although  it  was  but  a mile  and  a 
half  wide.  As  he  was  congratulating  himself  on  his 
safe  transit,  he  was  confronted  by  a stream  breast-deep. 
The  donkeys  had  to  be  unloaded,  led  over,  and  reloaded 
on  the  other  side.  Hardly  were  they  under  way,  when 
they  came  to  another  stream,  so  deep  they  could  not  ford 
it.  Swimming  over  this  stream,  and  floating  their  bag- 
gage across,  they  floundered  on  to  a bend  in  the  river, 
where  they  camped,  having  made  but  six  miles  in  the 
whole  day.  The  river  Makata  was  much  swollen,  and  it 
took  five  hours  to  cross  the  next  morning.  The  rain  fall- 
ing so  fast  as  to  prevent  traveling,  the  camp  was  pitched. 
Fortunately,  this  was  the  last  day  of  the  rainy  season. 

The  first  of  May  found  the  expedition  in  a pitiable 
condition.  Shaw  was  still  sick,  one  man  was  down  with ' 
small-pox,  and  several  others  were  complaining.  Doctor- 
ing the  sick  as  well  as  he  knew  how,  and  severely 


AFRICAN  RIVER-MARSH— WHALE-HEADED  STORK. 


58  DELAYS  AND  LOSSES. 

punishing  those  who  were  shamming,  Stanley  at  length 
started  his  caravan  across  the  Makata  plain,  now  a 
swamp  thirty-five  miles  broad.  For  two  days  they 
traveled  through  water,  sometimes  three  or  four  feet 
deep,  till  they  reached  the  Eudewa  river.  Crossing  a 
branch  of  this  stream,  a sheet  of  water  five  miles  wide 
stretched  before  them.  Though  worn  and  weary,  Stan- 
ley determined  to  cross,  and  after  five  hours’  exhausting 
effort  succeeded.  From  this  day  on,  the  animals  sick- 
ened,' while  Stanley  himself,  overcome  by  the  incessant 
exposure,  was  seized  with  dysentery,  and  almost  died. 
For  a time  it  seemed  that  the  expedition  was  about  to 
end  on  the  borders  of  the  Makata  swamp. 

On  the  fourth  of  May,  they  came  *o  the  first 
village  near  which  they  had  encamped  since  enter- 
ing this  district  of  Usagara.  It  was  surrounded  by  a 
mud  wall,  composed  ofvcane-topped  huts,  and  contained 
about  one  thousand  inhabitants.  After  a four  day’s 
rest  here,  they  began  the  ascent  of  the  mountain. 

The  change  from  the  noisome  swamps  was  very 
grateful,  but  the  animals  suffered  severely,  and  before 
they  had  reached  their  first  camping  place,  two  of  them 
had  given  out.  Descending  to  the  valley  of  Mukondokno, 
they  came  to  the  road  traveled  by  Speke  and  Burton  in 
1857.  At  Kora,  Stanley  found  his  third  caravan,  led  by 
Farquhar,  who  by  his  debaucheries  had  made  himself 
sick,  and  brought  great  distress  on  the  caravan.  Unable 
to  ascertain  anything  definite  from  Farquhar,  Stanley 
overhauled  the  baggage,  and  found  that  enough  had  been 
spent  in  excesses  to  have  lasted  eleven  months,  and  yet 
he  had  been  out  but  two  and  a half  months.  Had  not 
Stanley  overtaken  him,  everything  would  have  been 
squandered  before  reaching  Unyanyembe. 


CHAPTER  V. 


TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE. 


ON  THE  eleventh  of  May  the  united  third  and  fifth 
caravans  started  forward,  leaving  Shaw  to  follow 
with  one  of  the  men.  But  he  lagged  behind,  and 
had  not  come  up  when  the  camp  was  roused  next  morning. 
Stanley  at  once  sent  two  donkeys  after  them,  and  by  the 
messenger  the  following  note : “You  will  upon  the  receipt 
oj  this  order , pitch  the  cart  into  the  nearest  ravine , gully,  or 
river , as  well  as  all  the  extra  pack  saddles;  and  come  at 
once,  for  God’s  sake,  for  we  must  not  starve  here.”  After 
four  hours  waiting,  tnc  men  not  appearing,  Stanley 
went  back  himself,  and  found  them  coming,  the  carrier 
with  the  cart  on  his  head,  and  Shaw  riding  the  donkey 
at  a pace  which  made  it  hard  to  tell  which  was  the 
sleepier.  Pushing  on  across  the  river,  past  Madete,  on 
the  14:th,  they  sighted  Lake  Ugenlo.  It  is  about  three 
miles  long,  and  two  wide,  and  abounds  with  hippopot- 
ami, while  many  wild  animals  come  nightly  to  drink. 
Halting  here  for  two  days  on  account  of  the  desertion  of 
the  cooper  with  one  of  the  guns,  he  explored  the  lake, 
and  made  several  ineffectual  shots  at  the  hippopotami. 
The  natives  hunt  these  ungainly  beasts  with  harpoons. 
Having  made  the  harpoon  fast  in  the  side  of  the  beast, 
they  drag  him  by  main  force  to  the  shore,  where  he  soon 

(59) 


60 


TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE. 


succumbs  to  a multitude  of  wounds.  Another  method 
is  to  suspend  a heavy  log,  with  a poisoned  spear  affixed, 
over  a path  frequented  by  the  animals.  The  animal, 
passing  beneath,  strikes  a cord  that  releases  the  log, 
driving  the  poisoned  spear  deep  into  his  back. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  first  day  of  their  halt,  the 
cooper  arrived  in  camp,  alleging  as  a reason  for  his  con- 
duct, that  he  had  fallen  asleep  on  the  way.  Having 
been  the  cause  of  their  detention,  Stanley  was  not  in  a 
mood  to  forgive  him,  and  consequently  had  him  chained 
with  the  gang  of  runaways. 

Two  more  of  the  donkeys  died;  Farquhar  having 
killed  another  with  his  weight  and  awkward  manner  of 
riding.  To  prevent  leaving  any  valuable  baggage,  Far- 
quhar was  sent  on  Stanley’s  own  donkey  to  a village 
thirty  miles  off.  By  his  inability  to  do  anything  for 
himself,  and  his  peevishness  and  complaints,  he  had 
made  himself  the  laughing  stock  of  the  entire  company. 
For  six  days  Stanley  endured  the  annoyance,  when, 
fearing  he  would  bring  the  expedition  to  grief,  Stanley 
determined  to  leave  him  with  some  kind  chief  till  he 
should  get  well. 

On  the  15th,  when  called  to  breakfast,  Shaw  and  Far- 
quhar came  in  in  an  insolent  manner,  returning  no 
answer  to  Stanley’s  polite  greeting. 

“Shaw,”  said  Stanley,  “please  carve  and  serve  Far- 
quhar.” 

“ What  dogs’  meat  is  this  ? ” asked  Shaw,  insolently. 

“What  do  you  mean?”  asked  Stanley. 

“ I mean,  sir,  that  it  is  a downright  shame,  the  way 
you  treat  us,”  answered  he,  impudently.  “ I mean,  to 
say  for  myself,  you  are  walking  me  too  hard.  I thought 
we  were  to  have  donkeys  to  ride  every  day,  and  servants 
to  wait  on  us.  Instead  of  this,  I must  walk  every  day 


HIPPOPOTAMUS  HUNT. 


62 


TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE 


through  the  hot  sun,  till  I feel  as  if  I would  rather  be  in 

than  in  this expedition  ; and  I wish  every 

soul  in  it  may  sink  to  this  minute,  so  I do ; — 

there  now !” 

When  he  had  ceased  Stanley,  fixing  his  eye  on  him, 
said  in  a resolute  tone : “Listen  to  me,  Shaw,  and  you, 
Farquhar.  Ever  since  you  left  the  coast  you  have  had 
donkeys  to  ride ; you  have  had  servants  to  wait  on  you ; 
your  meals  have  been  cooked  for  you;  you  have  eaten 
with  me  of  the  same  food  I have  eaten ; you  have  re- 
ceived the  same  treatment  I have  received.  But  now, 
all  Farqu liar’s  donkeys  are  dead  ; seven  of  my  own  have 
died  and  I have  had  to  throw  away  a few  things  in 
order  to  procure  carriage  for  the  more  important  goods ; 
Farquhar  is  too  sick  to  walk ; he  must  have  a donkey  to 
ride ; in  a few  days  all  our  animals  will  be  dead,  after 
which  I must  have  twenty  more  pagazis  to  take  up  the 
goods,  or  wait  weeks  and  weeks  for  carriage.  Yet  in  the 
face  of  these  things,  you  can  grumble,  and  curse,  and 
swear  at  me,  at  my  own  table.  Have  you  considered 
well  your  position?  Do*. you  realize  where  you  are? 
Do  you  know  you  are  my  servant,  sir,  and  not  my  com- 
panion? 

“ Servant  be ” said  Shaw. 

Just  before  he  finished  his  sentence,  Shaw  meas- 
ured his  length  on  the  ground. 

“Is  it  necessary  for  me  to  proceed  to  teach  you 
further  ?”  asked  Stanley. 

Raising  himself  up,  Shaw  replied — “I  tell  you  what 
it  is,  sir,  I think  I had  better  go  back ; I have  had  enough, 
and  I do  not  mean  to  go  any  further  with  you.  I ask 
my  discharge  from  you.” 

“ Oh,  certainly.  What — who  is  there?  Bombay, 
come  here.” 


TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE. 


63 


After  Bombay’s  appearance  at  the  tent  door,  Stanley 
said  to  him,  “Strike  this  man’s  tent,”  pointing  to  Shaw ; 
“he  wants  to  go  back.  Bring  his  gun  and  pistol  here 
to  my  tent,  and  take  this  man  and  his  baggage  two 
hundred  yards  outside  of  the  camp  and  leave  him  there.” 

In  a few  minutes  his  tent  was  down,  his  gun  and 
pistol  in  Stanley’s  tent,  and  Bombay  returned  to  make 
his  report,  with  four  men  under  arms. 

“Now  go,  sir.  You  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  go. 
These  men  will  escort  you  and  your  luggage  two  hundred 
yards  out  of  camp,  and  there  leave  you.” 

He  walked  out,  the  men  escorting  him,  and  carry- 
ing his  baggage  with  him. 

After  breakfast  Stanley  explained  the  condition  of 
things  to  Farquhar,  and  induced  him  to  consent  to  re- 
main with  some  good  chief  till  he  could  get  well. 

Hardly  had  Stanley  finished  speaking,  when  Bom- 
bay came  to  the  tent  door  saying,  “Shaw  would  like  to 
speak  to  you.” 

Stanley  went  to  the  door,  and  there  met  Shaw, 
looking  extremely  penitent  and  ashamed.  He  begged 
pardon,  implored  to  be  taken  back,  and  promised  that 
he  would  never  give  any  more  trouble. 

Stanley  held  out  his  hand,  saying,  “ Don’t  mention 
it,  my  dear  fellow.  Quarrels  occur  in  the  best  of  families. 
Since  you  apologized,  there  is  an  end  of  it.” 

That  night,  as  Stanley  was  about  falling  asleep,  he 
heard  a shot ; a bullet  tore  through  his  tent  a few  inches 
above  his  body.  He  snatched  up  his  revolvers,  rushed 
out  of  his  tent,  and  asked  the  men  around  the  watch- 
fires,  “Who  shot  ?”  They  had  all  jumped  up  rather  start- 
led at  the  sudden  report. 

“Who  fired  that  gun?”  One  said,  “The  ‘ Bana 
Mdogo,  ’ or  little  master. 


64 


TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE. 


Lighting  a candle,  Stanley  walked  into  Shaw’s  tent 
and  asked,  “ Shaw,  did  yon  fire  ? ” 

There  was  no  answer.  He  was  breathing  so  hard 
he  seemed  to  be  asleep. 

“ Shaw,  Shaw,  did  yon  fire  that  shot  ? ” 

Suddenly  awaking,  he  said,  “ Me  ? — me  fire  ? I 
have  been  asleep.” 

Seeing  his  gun  lying  near,  Stanley  picked  it  up 
and  put  his  finger  into  the  barrel.  The  gun  was  warm 
and  his  finger  was  blackened  by  the  burnt  powder. 

“What  is  this?”  asked  Stanley.  “ Your  gun  is 
warm.  The  men  tell  me  you  fired  that  shot.  ” 

“ Ah — yes,  ” he  replied ; “ I remember  it.  I dreamed 
I saw  a thief  pass  my  door,  and  I fired.  Ah — yes — I 
forgot.  I did  fire.  Why,  what  is  the  matter?  ” 

“ Oh,  nothing,”  said  Stanley.  “ But  I would  advise 
you  in  future,  in  order  to  avoid  suspicion,  not  to  fire  in- 
to my  tent,  or  at  least  so  near  me.  I might  get  hurt, 
you  know,  in  which  case  ugly  reports  would  get  about, 
and  this  might  be  disagreeable,  as  you  are  probably 
aware.  Good  night.” 

All  had  their  thoughts  about  this  matter,  but  Stan- 
ley said  not  a word  about  it  till  he  met  Livingstone. 
The  doctor  embodied  his  suspicion  in  the  words, 
“ He  intended  murder.” 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  circumstances  certainly  seem 
to  justify  Livingstone’s  view  of  the  ciise.  Following  so 
close  to  the  previous  trouble  certainly  made  it  appear 
very  suspicious. 

After  a march  of  fifteen  miles,  on  the  16th  of  May 
the  caravan  camped  at  Matamombo,  a region  abound- 
ing with  monkeys,  rhinoceroses,  steinboks,  and  antelope. 
The  next  day’s  march  extended  fifteen  miles  through  an 
interminable  jungle.  Here  they  came  upon  the  old 


TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE. 


65 


Arab  Sheikh,  Thani,  who  gave  the  following  good  advice ; 
“ Stop  here  two  or  three  days,  give  your  tired  animals 
some  rest,  and  collect  all  the  carriers  you  can.  Fill 
your  insides  with  fresh  milk,  sweet  potatoes,  beef,  mut- 
ton, ghee,  honey,  beans,  matama,  maderia  nuts,  and 
then  we  shall  go  together  to  Ugogo  without  stopping 
anywhere.  Such  sensible  advice  Stanley  could  not  reject, 
and  he  at  once  commenced  on  this,  for  Africa,  very  exten- 
sive bill  of  fare.  The  following  entry  in  his  journal  shows 
how  it  agreed  with  him  after  a day’s  trial : “ Thank  God, 
after  fifty-seven  days  of  living  upon  matama  porridge 
and  tough  goat,  I have  enjoyed  with  unctuous  satisfac- 
tion a real  breakfast  and  a good  dinner.  ” 

Here  on  the  Mpwapwa,  he  found  a place  to  leave 
Farquhar.  But  the  chief  would  only  consent  to  his  re- 
maining on  condition  that  a man  was  left  to  care  for 
him.  This  complicated  matters  somewhat,  as  Stanley 
could  ill  afford  to  spare  a man ; moreover,  Farquhar  had 
made  himself  so  obnoxious  that  no  one  was  willing  to  stay 
with  him.  But  at  this  juncture,  Sako,  or  Jako,  was 
ordered  to  stay  behind  till  Farquhar  was  able  to  go  on 
to  Unyanyembe. 

At  this  place  Stanley  was  much  troubled  by  ear- 
wigs, which  he  says  were  in  his  tent  by  the  thousands, 
his  cot  by  hundreds,  on  his  clothes  by  fifties,  and  on  his 
head  and  neck  by  scores.  Their  presence  nearly  drove 
him  insane.  Next  to  these  came  the  white  ants,  that 
threatened  to  in  a short  time  eat  up  all  the  baggage. 

These  troublesome  insects  are  the  plague  of  the  Af- 
rican traveler,  while  at  the'  same  time  highly  beneficial 
to  the  country  in  general.  They  swarm  throughout  the 
land.  The  workers  are  soft,  white,  almost  helpless  in- 
sects ; the  soldiers  are  blind,  but  armed  with  very  strong 
jaws,  and  they  will  suffer  themselves  to  be  pulled  to 


TROUBLES  EN  ROUTE. 


67 


pieces  rather  than  loosen  their  hold.  The  queen  has  a 
small  head  and  thorax,  but  her  abdomen  is  as  large  as 
scores  of  the  workers  or  neuters.  These  ants  build  huge 
hillocks  for  nests,  as  large  as  small  haystacks. 

They  will  feed  on  almost  any  sort  of  organic  mat- 
ter, carefully  encrusting  every  object  with  mud  to  hide 
themselves;  but  they  are  especially  fond  of  vegetable 
matter.  They  work  chiefly  by  night.  Posts  and  tim- 
bers they  often  attack  and  destroy  completely,  leaving  a 
thin  shell  that  appears  perfectly  sound.  They  confer  a 
great  benefit  upon  the  country  by  destroying  immense 
quantities  of  decaying  vegetable  matter,  that  would 
otherwise  breed  malaria ; but  the  traveler  who  finds  a 
quantity  of  valuable  papers  and  records  destroyed  in  a 
single  night,  or  his  bales  of  goods  half  eaten,  is  apt  to 
consider  them  a damage  instead  of  a blessing. 

The  natives  in  many  parts  of  the  country  are  very 
fond  of  them,  capturing  them  in  large  quantities,  and 
eating  them  as  we  do  shrimps  or  oysters.  Be  gusti- 
bus  non  est  disputandum.  Grasshoppers,  palm-worms — 
something  like  our  tobacco-worms — snakes,  spiders,  and 
such-like  dainties  are  highly  acceptable  to  many  savage 
palates. 

Having  engaged  here  twelve  new  carriers,  Stanley 
pushed  on  toward  the  Ugogo  district,  famous  for  the  trib- 
ute it  exacts  from  caravans. 


I 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THROUGH  UGOGO  AND  UNYAMWEZI. 


ON  the  2 2d  of  May  Stanley’s  two  other  caravans 
joined  him,  making  in  all  a caravan  of  some  four 
hundred  souls — none  too  large,  however,  for  protection 
through  Ugogo.  They  now  had  to  cross  a waterless 
desert  of  thirty  miles,  which  required  seventeen  hours* 
constant  travel.  On  the  way  Stanley  was  stricken  by  a 
fever,  and  it  was  necessary  to  carry  him  in  a hammock. 
Recovering  from  his  fever  the  next  morning,  he  rode  at 
the  head  of  his  caravan,  and  at  8 a.  m.  had  passed  the 
wilderness  and  entered  Ugogo.  His  appearance  at  the 
first  village  caused  a tremendous  uproar  of  excitement. 
Naked  men  and  women  came  pouring  out,  yelling,  fight- 
ing, quarreling  and  making  a perfect  Babel  around 
Stanley,  who  was  very  much  annoyed.  To  one  of  the 
soldiers  requesting  them  to  desist,  the  only  reply  was 
“ Shut  up as  unworthy -to  speak  to  Wagogo.  Passing 
these  curious  hordes,  the  next  day’s  march  of  eight  miles 
brought  him  to  the  sultan  of  the  district.  Provisions 
were  abundant  here  and  the  demands  of  the  chief  exor- 
bitant. After  much  irritating  and  childish  parley,  the 
sultan’s  greed  was  satisfied  with  about  $50  worth  of  cloth 
and  beads,  and  Stanley  shook  the  dust  from  his  feet  as 
a testimony  against  him,  and  pushed  on  westward.  As 
he  passed  the  numerous  villages  and  fields  filled  with 


CATCHING  GRASSHOPPERS. 


TO 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


laborers  he  did  not  wonder  at  the  demands  of  the  sultan, 
as  a force  could  be  soon  raised  sufficient  to  exterminate 
any  passing  caravan.  The  road  to  Matamburu,  the  next 
sultan’s  district,  was  lined  by  twenty-seven  villages. 

This  sultan,  a man  of  gigantic  proportions,  proved 
to  be  a very  reasonable  person,  and  exacted  a very  light 
tribute,  which  was  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  all. 

The  march  to  Bihawana,  the  next  camp,  was  rugged 
and  long,  through  a tangled  jungle,  while  the  heat  of  the 
sun  was  intense.  In  the  middle  of  a scorching  plain 
stood  the  villages  of  Bihawana,  which  were  almost  un- 
distinguishable  from  their  extreme  lowness,  they  not 
being  as  high  as  the  surrounding  grass. 

The  camp  was  pitched  in  a large  boma,  not  far 
from  the  sultan’s  tembe.  Three  Wagogo  soon  visited 
Stanley,  asking  him  if  he  had  seen  a Wagogo  with  a 
woman  and  child.  As  he  was  about  answering,  “ Yes,” 
Mabruki  bade  him  not  to  answer,  as  thej^  would,  as 
usual,  accuse  him  of  murdering  them,  in  order  to  secure 
payment  therefor.  Indignant  at  the  imposition,  Stanley 
would  have  flogged  them  out  of  camp,  when  Mabruki 
again  warned  him  that  every  blow  would  cost  him  sev- 
eral yards  of  cloth.  Not  willing  to  pay  so  high,  Stanley 
was  compelled  to  swallow  his  wrath. 

The  sultan  here  was  moderate  in  his  demands,  and 
from  him  Stanley  learned  that  his  fourth  caravan,  which 
was  in  advance,  had  had  a fight  with  some  robbers, 
killing  two  of  them. 

A march  of  eight  miles  brought  them  to  the  next 
sultan,  where  the  water  was  so  vile  that  two  donkeys 
died  from  its  effects.  Stanley,  weak  and  nervous  from 
fever,  paid  the  heavy  tribute  demanded  without  alterca- 
tion. A long  stretch  of  forest  lay  between  him  and  the 
next  sultan.  Though  the  woods  abounded  with  many 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


71 


varieties  of  game,  they  had  no  time  for  hunting.  At 
noon  they  had  left  the  last  water  they  could  reach  till 
noon  the  next  day ; consequently  there  was  no  time  to 
delay.  Going  through  the  forest  one  of  the  carriers 
sickened  and  died. 

Passing  the  forest,  they  came  to  the  Nyambwa, 
where  excellent  water  was  found.  With  shouts  and 
yells  the  villagers  crowded  around,  finally  becoming  so 
insolent  that  Stanley  seized  his  whip  and  administered 
a sound  thrashing  to  one  of  the  number.  This  enraged 
them,  and  they  walked  backward  and  forward,  shouting, 
“ Are  the  Wagogo  to  be  beaten  like  slaves  ? ” Whenever 
they  came  too  close,  Stanley  would  again  have  recourse 
to  his  whip,  which  always  cleared  the  way  for  him,  thus 
proving  the  excellency  of  Solomon’s  recipe,  “ A rod  for 
the  fool’s  back.” 

The  sultan,  Pembera  Pereh,  was  a queer,  small, 
dirty  man,  redeemed  from  utter  insignificance  by  being 
the  most  powerful  sultan  of  Ugogo.  Stanley  thus  de- 
scribes him : “ Though  such  an  important  chief,  he  is 
meaner  dressed  than  his  subjects,  always  filthy,  ever 
greasy,  eternally  foul  about  the  mouth ; but  these  are 
the  mere  eccentricities  of  greatness : as  a wise  j udge  he 
is  without  parallel,  always  has  a dodge  ever  ready  for 
the  abstraction  of  cloth  from  the  spiritless  Arab  mer- 
chants, and  disposes  with  ease  of  a judicial  case  which 
would  overtask  ordinary  men.” 

This  avaricious  rascal  fined  one  of  the  Arab  mer- 
chants with  whom  Stanley  was  traveling,  $25  in  cloth, 
because  two  of  his  donkeys  strayed  in  the  night  and  ate 
some  of  the  great  chieftain’s  grain.  The  penurious  Arab 
writhed  and  groaned,  but  was  compelled  to  pay  or  lose 
the  donkeys.  And  in  addition  the  “ dirty  nigger  ” had 


72 


THROUGEt  tJGOGO. 


already  collected  a tax  of  $140  on  the  united  caravan, 
merely  for  the  privilege  of  passing  by  his  village. 

The  road  to  the  next  camp,  Mizanza,  lay  through 
a broad  plain  covered  with  saline  and  nitrous  deposits, 
apparently  the  corner  of  a great  salt  lake.  Here  Stan- 
ley was  laid  up  for  a time  with  fever,  but  was  favored 
with  a visit  from  the  sultan,  an  idiotic  old  negro,  who 
was  almost  speechless  at  the  sight  of  the  Muzungu’s 
glory. 

Starting  forward  on  the  4th  of  June,  a march  of 
three  hours  brought  them  to  another  district,  occupied 
by  pastoral  Wahumba  and  Wahehe.  These  are  an  ex- 
tremely well-made,  fine-looking  people,  fit  models  for 
sculptors,  and  apparently  above  the  average  African  in 
intelligence.  Four  hours’  march  then  brought  the  cara- 
van to  Mukondoku  proper. 

This  extremity  of  Ugogo  is  very  populous.  Thirty- 
six  villages  surround  the  central  tembe  occupied  by  the 
sultan  Swaruru.  Again  a mob  of  howling  savages  sur- 
rounded Stanley,  and  by  their  demonstrations  aroused 
his  fear  lest  they  had  other  motives  than  curiosity. 
Halting,  he  demanded  why  they  made  such  a noise,  and 
what  they  wanted.  One  burly  fellow,  taking  this  as  a 
declaration  of  hostilities,  drew  his  bow,  when  Stanley 
promptly  leveled  his  repeating  rifle  on  the  crowd.  Im- 
mediately the  crowd  dispersed.  A few  words  of  explana- 
tion brought  them  back,  when  the  bowman  was  com- 
pelled to  retire  before  the  weight  of  public  opinion. 

A chief  now  came  up,  whom  Stanley  afterwards 
learned  was  second  to  Swararu,  and  lectured  the  people 
on  their  treatment  of  the  “ white  strangers.”  This  re- 
stored harmony  on  both  sides.  The  tribute  was  easily 
settled  here. 

There  being  three  routes  to  Uyanzi,  a diversity  of 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


73 


opinion  as  to  the  most  practicable  caused  a lengthy  dis- 
cussion. Having  decided  the  question,  they  were  once 
more  under  way,  when  Stanley  discovered  an  attempt  to 
take  another  road.  Moral  suasion  having  no  effect,  he 
tried  physical  with  better  success,  and  once  more  re- 
sumed the  march. 

The  forest  they  entered  on  the  borders  of  Uyanzi 
as  a welcome  change  from  the  villages  of  Ugogo,  and 
two  hours  after  leaving  them,  they  came  to  a river  in  a 
new  district.  Making  the  forest  resound  with  shouts 
and  joyful  songs,  they  marched  on  through  a beautiful 
country,  surrounded  by  scenery  more  like  cultivated 
England  than  savage  Africa.  Eapid  marching  brought 
them,  on  the  10th  of  June,  to  Kiti,  a land  of  plenty, 
where  they  fared  well. 

The  next  few  days’  march  was  comparatively  un- 
eventful, as  the  marches  of  African  caravans  go.  One 
or  two  pagazis,  sick  and  worn  out,  threw  themselves 
down,  and  were  left  to  die  by  the  wayside : for  a caravan 
in  an  uncultivated  district  goes  like  a ship  in  a storm ; 
he  who  falls  overboard  is  lost.  Hunger  and  thirst  and 
the  wild  beasts  have  no  more  mercy  on  the  hapless  wight 
than  have  his  companions.  Few  freemen  are  lost  in  this 
way;  but  the  Arabs  often  abandon  whole  troops  of 
slaves  who  have  become  too  weary  to  travel  farther. 

Better  water  was  found  in  the  next  few  stages  than 
the  party  had  seen  since  leaving  Simbamwenni.  The 
tsetse  was  found  in  two  or  three  localities,  showing  that 
large  game  frequented  the  place.  The  gloomy  forest 
soon  gave  place  to  a low,  scrubby  jungle,  succeeded  by 
the  broad,  level  plain  of  Unyamwezi.  One  or  two  at- 
tempts were  made  here  by  sneak  thieves  to  gain  some 
plunder,  but  the  shooting  of  one  of  them  by  an  Arab 
guard  proved  a very  wholesome  deterrent.  Some  of 


72 


'fHROUGIt  tJGOGO. 


already  collected  a tax  of  $140  on  the  united  caravan, 
merely  for  the  privilege  of  passing  by  his  village. 

The  road  to  the  next  camp,  Mizanza,  lay  through 
a broad  plain  covered  with  saline  and  nitrous  deposits, 
apparently  the  corner  of  a great  salt  lake.  Here  Stan- 
ley was  laid  up  for  a time  with  fever,  but  was  favored 
with  a visit  from  the  sultan,  an  idiotic  old  negro,  who 
was  almost  speechless  at  the  sight  of  the  Muzungu’s 
glory. 

Starting  forward  on  the  4th  of  June,  a march  of 
three  hours  brought  them  to  another  district,  occupied 
by  pastoral  Wahumba  and  Wahehe.  These  are  an  ex- 
tremely well-made,  fine-looking  people,  fit  models  for 
sculptors,  and  apparently  above  the  average  African  in 
intelligence.  Four  hours’  march  then  brought  the  cara- 
van to  Mukondoku  proper. 

This  extremity  of  Ugogo  is  very  populous.  Thirty- 
six  villages  surround  the  central  tembe  occupied  by  the 
sultan  Swaruru.  Again  a mob  of  howling  savages  sur- 
rounded Stanley,  and  by  their  demonstrations  aroused 
his  fear  lest  they  had  other  motives  than  curiosity. 
Halting,  he  demanded  why  they  made  such  a noise,  and 
what  they  wanted.  One  burly  fellow,  taking  this  as  a 
declaration  of  hostilities,  drew  his  bow,  when  Stanley 
promptly  leveled  his  repeating  rifle  on  the  crowd.  Im- 
mediately the  crowd  dispersed.  A few  words  of  explana- 
tion brought  them  back,  when  the  bowman  was  com- 
pelled to  retire  before  the  weight  of  public  opinion. 

A chief  now  came  up,  whom  Stanley  afterwards 
learned  was  second  to  Swararu,  and  lectured  the  people 
on  their  treatment  of  the  “ white  strangers.”  This  re- 
stored harmony  on  both  sides.  The  tribute  was  easily 
settled  here. 

There  being  three  routes  to  Uyanzi,  a diversity  of 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


73 


opinion  as  to  the  most  practicable  caused  a lengthy  dis- 
cussion. Having  decided  the  question,  they  were  once 
more  under  way,  when  Stanley  discovered  an  attempt  to 
take  another  road.  Moral  suasion  having  no  effect,  he 
tried  physical  with  better  success,  and  once  more  re- 
sumed the  march. 

The  forest  they  entered  on  the  borders  of  Uyanzi 
as  a welcome  change  from  the  villages  of  Ugogo,  and 
two  hours  after  leaving  them,  they  came  to  a river  in  a 
new  district.  Making  the  forest  resound  with  shouts 
and  joyful  songs,  they  marched  on  through  a beautiful 
country,  surrounded  by  scenery  more  like  cultivated 
England  than  savage  Africa.  Eapid  marching  brought 
them,  on  the  10thr  of  June,  to  Kiti,  a land  of  plenty, 
where  they  fared  well. 

The  next  few  days’  march  was  comparatively  un- 
eventful, as  the  marches  of  African  caravans  go.  One 
or  two  pagazis,  sick  and  worn  out,  threw  themselves 
down,  and  were  left  to  die  by  the  wayside : for  a caravan 
in  an  uncultivated  district  goes  like  a ship  in  a storm ; 
he  who  falls  overboard  is  lost.  Hunger  and  thirst  and 
the  wild  beasts  have  no  more  mercy  on  the  hapless  wight 
hi  a ™rjrvr>anions.  Few  freemen  are  lost  in  this 
w^  1 abandon  whole  troops  of 

slaves  who  x-  to  travel  farther. 

Better  water  * few  stages  than 

the  party  had  seen  sine  wenni.  The 

tsetse  was  found  in  two  or  E.  # showing  that 

large  game  frequented  the  pla.  gloomy  forest 

•soon  gave  place  to  a low,  scrubby  jungle,  succeeded  by 
the  broad,  level  plain  of  Unyamwezi.  One  or  two  at- 
tempts were  made  here  by  sneak  thieves  to  gain  some 
plunder,  but  the  shooting  of  one  of  them  by  an  Arab 
guard  proved  a very  wholesome  deterrent.  Some?  ^ ( 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


75 


the  caravan  here  began  shamming  complete  exhaustion, 
but  were  readily  resuscitated  by  a few  strokes  of  the 
whip.  The  Kirangozi,  Bombay,  received  also  some  very 
timely  admonition,  which  proved  of  great  benefit,  both 
to  him  and  to  the  general  welfare  of  the  caravan.  The 
road  now  lay  through  the  once  fertile  and  populous  dis- 
trict of  Rubuga,  which  at  this  time  was  a waste,  hav- 
ing been  devastated  by  Arab  slave-traders.  Then  fol- 
lowed a narrow  strip  of  forest,  succeeded  by  the  district 
of  Kigua,  which  also  had  been  plundered. 

At  last,  on  June  23d,  amid  much  pomp  and  display, 
and  firing  of  guns,  they  entered  Unyanyembe,  Stanley’s 
first  great  stopping  place,  where  the  term  of  service  of 
many  of  his  men  expired. 

Of  the  three  routes  from  the  coast  to  this  place, 
Stanley  had  discarded  the  ones  traveled  by  Speke  and 
Burton  and  Grant,  and,  with  the  originality  of  an  Ameri- 
can, chose  the  third,  thus  saving  about  two  hundred 
miles. 

Arrived  at  this  first  great  objective  point,  we  may 
for  a moment  glance  backward  at  the  countries  and  peo- 
ple we  have  passed.  Much  in  the  way  of  hydrographic 
and  geographical  details,  and  meteorological  observa- 
tions, would  perhaps  interest  the  scientist,  but  would 
likely  tire  the  ordinary  reader.  We  content  ourselves 
therefore  by  giving  a few  facts  of  interest  gleaned  from 
various  sources. 

Throughout  the  eastern  portpu  ' 1.  Africa, 

the  dialects  of  the  natives  are  m|  Phe  appa- 
rently, belonging  to  the  same  gene;  The  same 

system  of  prefixes  is  in  common  use  ouroughout  all. 
The  reader  will  understand  the  names  used  the  more 
readily  by  remembering  this;  “ U ” signifies  country; 
“M  ” a single  individual ; “ Wa,  ” the  people  in  general, 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


75 


the  caravan  here  began  shamming  complete  exhaustion, 
but  were  readily  resuscitated  by  a few  strokes  of  the 
whip.  The  Kirangozi,  Bombay,  received  also  some  very 
timely  admonition,  which  proved  of  great  benefit,  both 
to  him  and  to  the  general  welfare  of  the  caravan.  The 
road  now  lay  through  the  once  fertile  and  populous  dis- 
trict of  Rubuga,  which  at  this  time  was  a waste,  hav- 
ing been  devastated  by  Arab  slave-traders.  Then  fol- 
lowed a narrow  strip  of  forest,  succeeded  by  the  district 
of  Kigua,  which  also  had  been  plundered. 

At  last,  on  June*  23d?  amid  much  pomp  and  display, 
and  firing  of  guns,  they  entered  Unyanyembe,  Stanley’s 
first  great  stopping  place,  where  the  term  of  service  of 
many  of  his  men  expired. 

Of  the  three  routes  from  the  coast  to  this  place, 
Stanley  had  discarded  the  ones  traveled  by  Speke  and 
Burton  and  Grant,  and,  with  the  originality  of  an  Ameri- 
can, chose  the  third,  thus  saving  about  two  hundred 
miles. 

Arrived  at  this  first  great  objective  point,  we  may 
for  a moment  glance  backward  at  the  countries  and  peo- 
ple we  have  passed.  Much  in  the  way  of  hydrographic 
and  geographical  details,  and  meteorological  observa- 
tions, would  perhaps  interest  the  scientist,  but  would 
likely  tire  the  ordinary  reader.  We  content  ourselves 
therefore  by  giving  a few  facts  of  interest  gleaned  from 
various  sources. 

Throughout  the  eastern  portion  of  Central  Africa, 
the  dialects  of  the  natives  are  many,  though  all,  appa- 
rently, belonging  to  the  same  general  family.  The  same 
system  of  prefixes  is  in  common  use  throughout  all. 
The  reader  will  understand  the  names  used  the  more 
readily  by  remembering  this : “U”  signifies  country: 
“M  ” a single  individual ; “ Wa,  ” the  people  in  general, 


76 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


or  several  individuals;  “ Ki, ” the  language.  Thus, 
“ Ugogo  ” means  the  Gogo  country,  “ Mgogo,  ” a native 
of  Gogo.  “Wagogo,”  the  people  of  Gogo.  “ Kigogo,” 
the  language  of  Gogo.  “Ki, ’’also  occasionally  gives 
an  adjective  meaning,  as  when  we  say  “ American.  ” 

The  Wami  river,  which  empties  into  the  Indian 
ocean  near  Zanzibaris  available  for  commerce,  and  by  a 
little  improvement  could  be  navigated  by  light  draught 
steamers  almost  to  the  Usagara  mountains,  the  healthiest 
region  of  this  part  of  Africa.  It  can  be  reached  in  four 
days  from  the  coast  by  steamers,  whence  one  can  go 
into  a country  where  ivory,  sugar,  cotton,  indigo  and 
other  productions  can  be  obtained. 

Four  days  by  steamer  could  convey  the  missionary 
to  the  healthy  uplands,  among  the  gentle  Wasagara, 
where,  in  a delightful  climate,  fertile  soil,  and  luxuriant 
vegetation,  he  could  spend  his  time  in  an  earthly 
paradise. 

From  the  village  of  Kadetamare,  a dozen  mission 
sites  are  available,  which  might  become  extremely  use- 
ful among  the  docile,  good-natured  inhabitants. 

A still  more  important  stream  than  the  Wami,  is 
the  Rufiji,  or  Ruhwha.  It  is  a much  longer  river,  and  dis- 
charges twice  the  volume  of  water.  It  rises  near  some 
mountains  about  one  hundred  miles  southwest  of  Nbena. 
The  rich  alluvial  soil  of  the  river  valleys  is  astonish- 
ingly fertile.  Vegetation  is  of  prodigious  variety,  and  of 
enormous  size.  So  dense  is  the  growth  of  tall,  rank 
grass  that  it  is  impossible  for  a caravan  to  push  through 
it.  It  is  their  custom  to  so  time  their  trips  as  to  reach 
these  districts  soon  after  the  natives  have  burnt  off  the 
grass  : thus  much  labor  is  avoided.  But  if  a caravan 
should  become  entangled  in  this  tall  grass  at  the  time 
of  burning,  woe  betide  them ! Andersson  had  a by  no 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


79 


have  been  eagerly  sought  by  the  salacious  Moham- 
medans, and  much  of  their  lovely  land  has  been  wrested 
from  them. 

Beyond  the  Wadoe  dwell  the  Waseguhha,  the  build- 
ers of  Simbamwenni.  Once  a poor  and  insignificant 
tribe,  they  have  been  made  powerful  by  the  machina- 
tions of  the  Arabs,  and  the  addition  of  fugitives  and 
malcontents.  The  Arab  policy  is  to  allow  no  tribe  to 
gain  absolute  supremacy,  lest  they  themselves  be  excluded 
from  the  country. 

These  Waseguhha  are  great  believers  in  witchcraft; 
but  the  unfortunate  seer  whose  incantations  fail  is  burnt, 
and  his  loin-cloth  hung  to  a tree  nearby  as  a warning  to 
other  would-be  prophets.  It  may  at  once  be  inferred 
that  few  fetich-men  live  to  a green  old  age  among  them. 

The  Us  agar  a range,  just  westward  of  these  people, 
seems  to  be  the  water- shed  of  East  Africa.  It  is  not  a 
very  lofty  one,  and  presents  features  similiar  to  the 
Bockies  in  our  own  land,  the  eastern  slope  being 
denuded  and  barren,  and  the  western  one  quite  fertile. 
The  people  are  in  the  main  peaceable ; but  in  the  north, 
where  in  contact  with  the  nomadic  Wahumba,  they 
are  quite  savage.  Both  sexes  tattoo  the  arms,  forehead 
and  bosom,  and  indulge  in  a deal  of  rude  ornamenta- 
tion of  various  sorts.  They  have  longer  hair,  and  are 
finer  in  physical  development  than  their  neighbors. 
The  children  all  go  naked ; older  people  wear  a loin- 
cloth, and  the  chiefs  wear  a sort  of  cap  in  addition. 

Next  after  these,  come  the  Wagago,  a powerful  race 
inhabiting  the  region  west  of  Usagara  to  Uyanzi,  a 
tract  about  eighty  miles  broad  by  one  hundred  in  length. 
In  his  dealings  with  them,  the  trader  must  exercise 
great  caution  and  circumspection.  He  will  be  prudent 
to  allow  his  head  men  to  make  all  bargains  with  them. 


80 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


They  are  physically  and  intellectually  the  best  of 
the  races  from  Unyamwezi  to  the  sea.  Of  a dark  brown 
color,  there  is  something  almost  leonine  in  their  frontal 
aspect.  They  have  broad,  intelligent  faces,  large  round 
eyes,  flat  noses,  wide  mouths,  and  though  their  lips  are 
thick,  they  are  not  so  thick  as  our  exaggerated  ideal  at- 
tributes to  the  negro.  The  native  of  this  tribe  is  proud 
of  his  chief,  proud  of  his  country,  of  himself,  his 
prowess,  his  weapons,  and  his  belongings.  He  is  vain, 
very  egotistic,  a bully,  a tyrant,  and  withal  capable  of 
forming  friendships,  and  exerting  himself  for  a friend. 
The  particular  trait  of  his  character  which  forces  itself 
on  the  notice  of  the  traveler,  is  his  insatiable  greed. 

The  weapons  they  carry  are  a bow,  and  a sheaf  of 
pointed,  pronged,  and  barbed  arrows : a couple  of  light 
assegais:  abroad  sword-like  spear,  with  a blade  over 
two  feet  long : a battle  axe,  and  a club.  For  defense, 
he  carries  a shield  of  rhinoceros,  elephant,  or  bujl 
hide.  By  the  time  he  is  fifteen  years  old,  he  is  an  adept 
with  his  weapons. 

He  is  armed  for  battle  in  a very  short  time.  A 
messenger  from  the  chief  darts  from  village  to  village, 
blowing  an  ox  trumpet,  the  signal  for  war.  Hearing  it, 
the  warrior  abandons  his  work  in  the  fields,  enters  his 
house,  and  shortly  emerges,  arrayed  for  battle.  Above 
his  head  wave  feathers  of  ostrich,  eagle  or  vulture ; 
behind  him  streams  his  crimson  robe ; on  his  left  arm  is 
borne  a shield ; his  left  hand  holds  his  darting  assegai, 
and  his  ponderous  man-cleaver,  double-edged  and 
pointed,  is  carried  by  his  right ; around  his  knees  and 
ankles  jingle  bells ; ivory  wristlets  on  his  arms  sound  his 
approach.  Dropping  the  peasant’s  garb  with  his  hoe, 
eagerly  sniffing  the  battle  field,  he  bounds  aloft  as  a 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


81 


gymnast,  a proud,  vain,  exultant  warrior.  Their  num- 
bers give  to  the  Wagogo  their  power  and  strength. 

Though  caravans  of  Wagogo  occasionally  travel 
the  IJnyam wezi  road,  they  are  not  so  generally  employed 
in  trade  as  the  Wanyamwezi.  Their  villages  thus  being 
always  full  of  warriors,  weak  tribes,  or  remnants  of 
uibes,'  are  very  glad  to  be  admitted  to  their  protection. 
In  their  villages  are  often  found  individuals  who,  foi 
some  deed  of  violence,  have  been  compelled  to  flee  from 
their  own  tribes. 

The  houses  of  the  Wagogo  are  square,  arranged 
around  a central  area,  to  which  all  the  doors  open. 
On  the  flat  roofs  are  spread  grain,  herbs,  tobacco,  and 
pumpkins.  A small  hole  for  observation  and  defense  is 
pierced  through  the  back  of  each  department.  Their 
tembe  is  a fragile  structure,  consisting  merely  of  a line 
of  slender  sticks  daubed  over  with  mud,  and  surmounted 
by  a flat  clay  roof.  A musket  ball  will  pierce  them 
through  and  through.  The  tembe  is  divided  into  apart- 
ments, separated  by  wattled  walls.  Each  room  may 
contain  a family  of  grown-up  boys  and  girls,  who  make 
their  beds  of  skins  on  the  floor.  Only  the  father  of  the 
family  has  a fixed  cot,  made  of  ox  hide,  and  stretched 
over  frame.  The  floor  of  the  hut  is  of  tamped  mud, 
exceedingly  filthy  and  mal-odorous.  A peculiar  species 
of  rat  infests  their  villages ; but  cows,  sheep,  goats,  and 
cats  are  the  only  domestic  animals  permitted  to  dwell 
with  the  family  in  the  tembe. 

The  Wagogo  believe  in  tne  existence  of  a God, 
whom  they  call  Mulungu,  the  sky  spirit.  To  him  they 
generally  direct  their  prayers  at  the  death  of  fcheir  par- 
ents. Having  consigned  the  body  of  his  father  to  the 
grave,  a Mgogo  collects  his  father’s  goods  and  chat- 
tels of  every  kind,  kneels  before  them,  and  repeats  a 


82 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


wish  that  Mulungu  would  increase  his  wealth,  and  *)less 
his  labors,  and  make  him  successful  in  trade.  They 
venerate  the  moon  and  often  perform  a dance  in  its  honor. 

The  following  conversation  occurred  between  Stan- 
ley and  a Mgogo  trader : 

“ Who  do  you  suppose  made  your  parents?  ” 

“ Why,  Mulungu,  white  man.” 

“ Well,  who  made  you?  ” 

“ If  God  made  my  father,  God  made  me,  didn’t 
he  ? ” 

“ That’s  very  good.  Where  do  you  suppose  your 
father  has  gone  to,  now  that  he  is  dead  ? * 

“The  dead  die,”  said  he,  solemnly;  “they  are  no 
more.  The  sultan  dies,  he  becomes  nothing — he  is 
then  no  better  than  a dead  dog;  he  is  finished,  his 
words  are  finished — -there  are  no  words  from  him.  It  is 
true,”  he  added,  seeing  the  smile  on  my  face.  “The 
sultan  becomes  nothing.  He  who  says  other  words  is  a 
liar.  There !” 

“ But  then,  he  is  a very  great  man,  is  he  not  ? ” 

“ While  he  lives  only — after  death  he  goes  into  the 
pit,  and  there  is  no  more  to  be  said  of  him  than  any 
other  man.” 

“ How  do  you  bury  a Mgogo?” 

“ His  legs  are  tied  together,  his  right  arm  to  his 
body,  and  his  left  is  put  under  his  head.  He  is  then 
rolled  on  his  left  side  in  the  grave.  His  cloth  he  wore 
during  life  is  spread  over  him.  We  put  the  earth  over 
him,  and  put  thorn  bushes  over  it,  to  prevent  the  fizi 
(hyena)  from  getting  at  him.  A woman  is  put  on  her 
right  side. in  a grave  apart  from  the  man.” 

“What  do  you  do  with  the  sultan  when  he  is 
dead?  ” 

“ We  bury  him,  too,  of  course ; only  he  is  buried  in 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


83 


the  middle  of  the  village,  and  we  build  a house  over  it. 
Each  time  they  kill  an  ox,  they  kill  before  his  grave. 
When  the  old  sultan  dies,  the  new  one  calls  for  an  ox, 
and  kills  it  before  his  grave,  calling  on  Mulungu  to  wit- 
ness that  he  is  the  rightful  sultan.  He  then  distributes 
the  meat  in  his  father’s  name.” 

“ Who  succeeds  the  sultan  ? Is  he  the  eldest 
son  ? ” 

“Yes,  if  he  has  a son;  if  childless,  the  great  chief 
next  to  him  in  rank.  The  msagira  is  next  to  the  sultan, 
whose  business  it  is  to  hear  the  cause  of  complaint,  and 
convey  it  to  the  sultan ; who,  through  the  sultan,  dis- 
penses justice ; he  receives  the  hongo,  carries  it  to  the 
mtemi  (sultan),  places  it  before  him,  and  when  the  sul- 
tan has  taken  what  he  wishes,  the  rest  goes  to  the  msa- 
gira. The  chiefs  are  called  manya-para ; the  msagira 
is  the  chief  manya-para.” 

“How  do  the  Wagogo  marry?” 

“ Oh,  they  buy  their  women.” 

“What  is  a woman  worth?” 

“ A very  poor  man  can  buy  his  wife  from  her  father 
for  a couple  of  goats.” 

“ How  much  has  the  sultan  got  to  pay  ? ” 

“ He  has  got  to  pay  about  one  hundred  goats,  or  so 
many  cows,  so  many  sheep  and  goats,  to  his  bride’s 
father.  Of  course  he  is  a chief.  The  sultan  would  not 
buy  a common  woman.  The  father’s  consent  is  to  be 
obtained,  and  the  cattle  have  to  be  given  up.  It  takes 
many  days  to  finish  the  talk  about  it.  All  the  family 
and  friends  of  the  bride  have  to  talk  about  it  before  she 
leaves  her  father’s  house.” 

“In  cases  of  murder,  what  do  you  do  with  the  man 
wno  kills  another  ? ” 

“ The  murderer  has  to  pay  fifty  cows.  If  he  is  too 


rJV'r'FimOP.  OF  AN  AFRICAN  BUT. 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


I 

poor  to  pay,  the  sultan  gives  his  permission  to  the  mur- 
dered man’s  friends  or  relatives  to  kill  him.  If  they 
catch  him,  they  tie  him  to  a tree,  and  throw  spears  at 
him — one  at  a time  first ; they  then  spring  on  him,  cut 
his  head  off,  then  his  arms  and  limbs,  and  scatter  them 
about  the  country.” 

“ How  do  you  punish  a thief  ? ” 

“ If  he  is  found  stealing,  he  is  killed  at  once,  and 
nothing  is  said  about  it.  Is  he  not  a thief  ? ” 

“ But  suppose  you  do  not  know  who  the  thief  is?” 
“ If  a man  is  brought  before  us  accused  of  stealing, 
we  kill  a chicken.  If  the  entrails  are  white,  he  is  inno- 
cent— if  yellow,  he  is  guilty.” 

“ Bo  you  believe  in  witchcraft  ? ” 

“Of  course  we  do,  and  punish  the  man  with  death 
if  he  bewitches  cattle,  or  stops  rain.” 

Sacrifices  of  human  life  as  penalty  for  witchcraft 
and  kindred  superstition — indeed,  for  many  trivial  of- 
fenses— are  very  numerous  among  nearly  all  the 
tribes. 

Next  to  Ugogo  is  Uyanzi,  or  Magunda  Mkali — the 
Hot  Field.  It  is  at  present  very  populous.  Along  the 
northern  route,  water  is  plentiful,  villages  are  frequent, 
and  travelers  begin  to  find  the  title  is  inappropriate. 
The  inhabitants  are  Wakimbu  from  the  south.  They 
are  an  industrious  race,  and  good  agriculturists.  In 
appearance  they  are  somewhat  like  the  Wasagara, 
though  not  possessing  a very  high  reputation  for  brav- 
ery. Their  weapons  are  light  spears,  bows  and  arrows, 
andjbattle-axes.  Their  tembes  are  strongly  made,  show- 
ing considerable  skill  in  the  art  of  defensive  construc- 
tion. Their  bomas  are  so  well  made  that,  were  the 
villages  at  all  defended,  cannon  would  be  required  to 
effect  an  entrance.  Their  traps  for  elephants  and  buffa* 


86 


THROUGH  UGOGO. 


ioes  show  some  skill.  Occasionally  a leopard  or  lion  is 
caught  in  them. 

In  comparing  the  rude,  untutored  savage,  roam- 
ing in  a state  of  nature  over  his  native  African  hills, 
with  his  more  civilized  brother,  we  see  they  have,  after 
all,  many  characteristics  in  common.  It  seems  that 
civilization  is  savagery  veneered  and  polished.  It  is 
well  to  study  the  points  of  resemblance,  and  understand 
the  limitation  of  nature,  that  we  be  not  carried  away 
with  the  pride  of  knowledge  and  a sense  of  our  own 
superiority.  Knowledge  constitutes  the  whole  differ- 
ence between  civilization  and  barbarism.  The  natural 
characteristics  of  man  are  ever  the  same.  Man’s  clever- 
ness is  almost  infinite,  and  stretches  like  an  elastic 
band,  but  human  nature  is  like  an  iron  ring.  You  can 
go  round  and  round  it,  you  can  polish  it  highly,  you  can 
even  flatten  it  a little  on  one  side,  whereby  you  make  it 
bulge  out  on  the  other ; but  you  will  never,  while  the 
world  endures,  and  man  is  man,  increase  its  total  cir- 
cumference. And  the  civilized  man  feels  as  distinct  a 
thrill  of  superstitious  fear  or  eerieness  in  the  presence 
of  phenomena  he  does  not  understand  or  is  unaccus- 
tomed to,  as  does  the  savage  when  influenced  by  the 
thousand  and  one,  to  him  inexplicable  things,  which  he 
includes  under  the  title  of  “ fetish.” 


CHAPTER  VII. 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


ta 


'ALKING  with  the  governor  toward  his  tembe, 
Stanley  received  a noiseless  ovation.  Hover- 
ing around  their  chief,  soldiers  and  men  by  the 
hundreds  stared  at  him,  naked  children  peering  between 
their  parents’  legs  meanwhile.  Tea  was  served  in  a 
silver  teapot,  and  a sumptuous  breakfast  served,  to  which 
Stanley  did  ample  justice. 

After  his  meal  Stanley  produced  his  pipe  and  to- 
bacco, when  the  following  dialogue  occurred : 

“My  friendly  Sheikh,  wilt  thou  smoke?” 

“No,  thanks,  Arabs  never  smoke.” 

“ Oh,  if  you  don’t,  perhaps  you  would  not  object  to 
me  smoking,  in  order  to  assist  digestion  ?” 

“ Nghema — good — go  on,  master.” 

Then  ensued  all  kinds  of  questions.  To  illustrate 
the  character  of  an  Arabian  conversation,  we  append  a 
few: 


“ How  came  the  master?  ” 

“ By  the  Mpwapwa  road.” 

“It  is  good.  Was  the  Makata  bad?  ” 

“Very  bad.” 

“ What  news  from  Zanzibar?  ” 

“ Good : Syed  Toorkee  has  possession  of  Muscat, 
and  Azim  bin  Ghis  was  slain  in  the  streets*” 

(87) 


$8 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


“ Is  this  true,  Walla  hi  (by  God)?’’ 

“ It  is  true.” 

“ Heh — heh — h,  this  is  news ! ” stroking  his  beard. 

This  will  serve  as  a sample  of  the  many  questions 
asked  by  the  Sheikh. 

After  this  conversation,  Stanley  was  conducted  to 
his  tembe,  and  food  furnished  to  himself  and  his  men 
in  abundance,  by  the  hospitable  Arabs.  On  the  second 
day  of  his  arrival  he  was  visited  by  the  chief  Arabs  of 
Tabora,  the  principal  Aiab  settlement  of  Central 
Africa,  containing  a thousand  huts  and  about  five 
thousand  inhabitants.  These  Arabs  were  a fine,  hand- 
some body  of  men,  hailing  mostly  from  Oman,  with 
some  from  Waswahili.  At  Tabora  they  live  in  luxury. 
They  have  tropical  fruits  in  abundance,  keep  a harem  of 
many  concubines,  and  some  sport  gold  watches  and 
chains.  Their  slaves  bring  from  the  coast  once  a year 
coffee,  sugar,  spices,  tea,  jelly,  curry,  wine,  brandy,  bis- 
cuits, sardines,  salmon,  rich  bedding,  Persian  carpets, 
and  such  fine  garments  as  they  require  for  their  own 
use. 

Before  leaving  Stanley,  these  magnates  invited  him 
to  visit  their  town,  and  partake  of  a feast  they  had  pre- 
pared for  him. 

Three  days  thereafter  Stanley  returned  the  visit,  in 
company  with  eighteen  of  his  men.  He  arrived  in  time 
to  participate  in  a council  of  war,  held  to  devise  means 
for  security  against  a robber-chief  named  Mirambo. 

This  man  was  once  a common  pagazi,  but  taking  to 
the  jungle,  he  established  himself  as  leader  of  a small 
band  of  mal-contents,  and  upon  the  death  of  a chief  of 
Nyoweh,  he  invaded  the  village,  and  proclaimed  himself 
chief.  His  first  ventures  were  successful,  and  ere  long 
he  had  his  own  way  among  neighboring  tribes.  At  this 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


89 


time  he  had  just  taken  as  toll  five  kegs  of  powder  and 
five  guns  and  five  hales  of  cloth,  from  an  Arab  caravan ; 
but  no  sooner  was  the  tribute  paid  than  he  ordered  the 
caravan  back  to  Unyanyembe,  saying  no  Arabs  should 
go  to  Ujiji,  save  over  his  dead  body.  The  council  hav- 
ing declared  war  against  him,  Stanley  resolved  to  ac- 
company them,  taking  his  loaded  caravan  as  far  as 
Mfuto,  and  there  leaving  it  under  guard,  while  he  went 
forward  with  the  rest  of  the  Arab  army  against  Mir- 
ambo. 

The  finest  house  in  Unyanyembe  belongs  to  Am- 
ram  bin  Mussoud,  who  paid  sixty  frasilah  of  ivory — 
over  §3,000 — for  it.  Very  fair  houses  can  be  purchased 
for  from  twenty  to  thirty  frasilah.  Amram’s  house  is 
one  hundred  feet  in  length,  twenty  feet  high,  with  walls 
four  feet  thick,  neatly  plastered  over  with  mud  mortar. 
The  great  door  is  a marvel  of  carving  v\ork  for  Unyan- 
yembe artisans.  Each  rafter  within  is  also  carved  with 
fine  designs.  In  front  of  the  house  is  a young  planta- 
tion of  pomegranate  trees,  which  flourish  here  as  if  in- 
digenous to  the  soil.  A shadoof,  such  as  may  be  seen 
on  the  Nile,  serves  to  draw  water  for  irrigation. 

In  Unyanyembe,  Stanley  found  the  Livingstone 
caravan,  which  had  started  from  Bagamoyo  only  when 
frightened  by  the  rumor  that  Kirk,  the  consul,  was  com- 
ing over  from  Zanzibar.  Oa  examination,  Stanley 
found  they  had  stayed  one  hundred  days  at  Bagamoyo, 
twenty-five  miles  from  Zanzibar,  while  Livingstone  was 
doubtless  suffering  for  the  supplies  which  they  should 
have  been  taking  on  to  him. 

Here  Stanley  was  attacked  by  fever,  and  lay  a week 
in  delirium,  doctored  by  his  faithful  Arab,  Selim.  How- 
ever, on  the  tenth  day  after  the  beginning  of  his  illness, 
he  was  in  excellent  trim.  Shaw  was  now  attacked,  and 


Vi V ^ r»  ''54% 

W$Mi^ 

TJ 


WARRIORS  OF  MIRAMBO. 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


91 


Stanley  had  to  doctor  him  a week.  On  his  recovery, 
Selim  was  taken,  giving  Stanley  another  week’s  medical 
practice. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th  of  July,  Stanley  loaded 
fifty  men  with  goods  for  Ujiji.  When  mustered  for  the 
march,  Bombay  was  missing.  While  men  were  search- 
ing for  him,  others  departed  to  take  their  final  farewell 
of  their  “ black  Delilahs.”  About  two  p.  m.  Bombay  ap- 
peared, his  face  expressive  of  a variety  of  emotions. 
Sorrow  at  parting  from  the  fleshpots  of  Unyanyembe, 
regret  at  leaving  his  black  Dulcinea,  abhorrence  of  the 
long,  hard,  cheerless  marches  before  him,  dread  of  the 
impending  war,  in  which  he  might  be  killed,  all  seemed 
contending  for  the  mastery.  Small  wonder,  then,  that 
the  order  to  take  his  place  aroused  his  pugnacity.  There 
was  simply  a word  and  a savage  look,  and  Stanley’s 
cane  was  flying  around  his  shoulders  as  if  he  was  to  be 
annihilated.  The  very  fury  of  the  attack  seemed  to 
subdue  him  more  than  the  punishment,  and  ere  a dozen 
blows  had  been  struck  he  was  crying  “pardon.”  At 
that  word,  never  heard  from  him  before,  Stanley  de- 
sisted. Bombay  was  conquered. 

For  a time  the  caravan  moved  on  in  utter  silence, 
but,  their  spirits  rising,  they  broke  into  the  following 
song  or  chant : 


Cho. 

Hoy,  Hoy. 
Hoy,  Hoy. 

Cho 

Hoy,  Hoy. 
Hoy,  Hoy. 

Cho. 

Hoy,  Hoy. 
Hoy,  Hoy. 

Cho. 

Where  are  ye  going? 
Going  to  war. 

Cho. 

Against  whom? 
Against  Mirambo. 

Cho. 

Who  is  your  master? 
The  white  man. 

92 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


Ough,  Ough. 

Oho.  Ough,  Ough. 

Hyah,  Hyah. 

Cho.  Hyah,  Hyah. 

This  ridiculous  song  they  kept  up  all  day,  without 
intermission. 

The  second  day  they  arrived  at  Masangi,  where 
Stanley  was  informed  the  Arabs  were  waiting  for  him. 
Having  reached  the  Arabian  army,  a halt  was  ordered 
for  rest  and  refreshment.  The  total  number  of  men  in 
the  army  was  2,255,  of  whom  1,500  had  guns  of  various 
kinds 

Amid  flying  banners,  blowing  horns,  and  the  boom- 
ing of  fifty  bass  drums,  they  set  forth  on  the  3d  of  Au- 
gust. In  a few  hours  Stanley  was  again  stricken  down  by 
fever,  but  was  able  to  resume  the  march  next  day.  Ar- 
rived at  Bizo,  the  stronghold  of  the  enemy,  the  forces 
were  stationed  around  it,  and  suddenly  opened  fire.  The 
attacking  forces  soon  rushed  through  the  gates,  over  the 
walls,  captured  the  entire  village,  and  completely  routed 
the  villagers.  Not  more  than  twenty  dead  bodies  were 
found  inside.  Leaving  a sufficient  force  to  hold  the  place, 
the  army  then  scoured  the  adjacent  territory,  clearing'  it 
of  the  enemy,  and  captured  two  other  villages,  which 
they  committed  to  the  flames,  after  having  secured  all  the 
valuables.  On  the  5th  a detachment  of  seven  hundred 
sallied  out,  carrying  fire  and  devastation  up  to  the 
boma  of  Wilyankuru.  On  the  6th,  a company  of  five 
hundred  marched  against  Wilyankuru,  supposed  to  be 
the  dwelling  place  of  Mirambo.  Another  party  going 
south,  defeated  a company  of  Mirambo’s  “bush-whackers.” 

At  this  critical  period,  Stanley  once  more  suc- 
cumbed to  the  fever,  and  as  he  lay  in  his  hammock,  news 
came  that  the  party  of  five  hundred  had  been  surprised 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


93 


and  killed.  The  lamentations  of  the  women  over  their 
slain  husbands  made  the  night  hideous. 

The  next  day  the  entire  Arabian  army  stampeded, 
leaving  Stanley  sick,  with  only  seven  men  who  had  cour- 
age enough  to  remain  with  him.  He  was  compelled  to 
return  oo  Mfuto,  reaching  there  about  midnight.  His 
men  had  all  arrived  before  dark.  The  brave  and  faith- 
ful fellows  who  had  boasted  so  much  of  their  valor,  had 
run  back  an  eleven  hours’  journey,  in  a little  more  than 
six  hours.  Selim,  the  boy  interpreter,  whom  Stanley 
had  brought  from  Jerusalem,  had  alone  been  true  to  his 
master. 

Stanley  asked  him,  “ Why  did  you  also  not  run 
away,  and  leave  your  master  to  die  ? ” 

“ Oh,  sir,”  replied  Selim,  naively,  “ I was  afraid 
you  would  whip  me.” 

It  was  now  evident  that  the  direct  road  to  Ujiji, 
which  lay  through  Mirambo’s  territory,  was  utterly  im- 
practicable. In  fact,  the  only  way  open  was  to  abandon 
the  search  for  Livingstone,  and  return  to  the  coast. 
But  Stanley,  taking  counsel  of  his  indomitable  will,  re- 
solved to  force  a way  to  the  southward.  He  had  good 
reason  to  believe  Livingstone  was  locked  up  in  Ujiji,  and 
Stanley  felt  that  he  could  not  abandon  the  enterprise, 
now  that  he  was  within  four  hundred  miles  of  its  com- 
pletion. 

On  the  13th  of  August,  a caravan  arrived  from  the 
East,  and  reported  the  death  of  Farquhar,  and  the  cook, 
who  had  been  left  to  care  for  him.  Stanley’s  first  im- 
pulse was  for  revenge,  believing  that  the  chief  had  mur- 
dered them ; but  a subsequent  interview  with  the  men 
who  brought  the  news  set  his  mind  at  rest  on  this  score. 
That  night  he  remarked  to  bis  companion,  “ There  is  one 
of  us  gone,  Shaw,  my  boy.  Who  will  be  the  next?  99 


94 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


Shaw  was  now  taken  very  ill,  and  Stanley,  not  hav- 
ing the  proper  medicine,  hired  three  soldiers  to  go  to 
Zanzibar  for  them,  giving  them  fifty  dollars  each. 

Despite  the  counsel  of  Stanley,  the  cowardly  Arabs 
had  retreated  to  Unyanyembe,  thus  encouraging  Mir- 
ambo  to  press  the  war  vigorously.  Stanley  had  followed 
them,  though  very  leisurely. 

At  ten  o’clock  the  morning  of  the  22d,  a continued 
firing  was  heard  in  the  direction  of  Tabora.  Men  soon 
came  in  with  information  that  Mirambo  had  attacked 
Tabora  with  over  two  thousand  men,  and  that  a force  of 
one  thousand  Watuta,  having  joined  Mirambo  for  plun- 
der, had  suddenly  attacked  on  the  opposite  side.  Fug- 
itives soon  came  pouring  into  Kwihara  for  protection, 
and  from  them  Stanley  learned  the  particulars  of  the 
attack. 

At  the  first  notice  they  had  of  the  attack,  Kliamis 
bin  Abdullah  said,  “ Let  us  go  to  meet  them.  Arm 
yourselves,  and  come  with  me.”  His  friends  urged  him 
not  to  go,  but  Khamis  impatiently  cried  out,  “Who  goes 
with  me  ? ” . His  little  protege,  the  son  of  a dead  friend, 
asked  to  be  his  gun-bearer.  Three  other  young  Arabs, 
of  good  families,  offered  to  go  with  him.  Hastily  arm- 
ing eighty  of  his  slaves,  Khamis  sallied  forth  to  meet  the 
ruthless  invader.  Seeing  the  Arabs  advance,  Mirambo 
ordered  a slow  retreat.  Deceived  by  this,  Khamis 
rushed  on  after  them,  when  Mirambo  charged  on  them. 
At  this  Khamis’  slaves  ignominiously  fled,  leaving  their 
master  to  his  fate.  Though  several  fell  before  the  fire 
of  the  Arabs,  the  savages  closed  around,  shooting  at 
them,  till  Khamis  received  a bullet  in  his  leg,  bringing 
him  to  his,  knees  and  a knowledge  of  the  cowardice  of 
his  slaves.  Though  wounded,  the  brave  man  fought  till 
shot  through  the  heart.  His  little  protege,  seeing  his 


BATTLE  BETWEEN  ARABS  AND  NATIVES. 


96 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


adopted  father  fall,  exclaimed,  “ My  father  Khamis  is 
dead ; I will  die  with  him  ! ” and  kept  np  the  fight  till  he 
was  killed.  In  a few  minutes,  all  Khamis’  friends  who 
had  accompanied  him  were  dead  with  him.  Truly,  they 
displayed  the  spirit  of  courageous  heroes.  We  need  not 
dwell  on  the  burning  of  the  village  and  the  horrible 
mutilation  of  bodies  of  brave  Arabs,  lest  the  details 
prove  too  revolting  for  the  sensitive  reader. 

Finding  his  people  ready  to  stand  by  him,  Stanley 
prepared  for  defense  by  boring  holes  for  muskets  through 
the  walls  of  his  tembe.  The  preparations  put  courage 
into  the  men,  and  the  refugees  from  Tabora,  with  their 
guns  in  their  hands,  asked  admission  into  the  tembe  to 
assist  in  its  defense.  Collecting  Livingstone’s  men,  he 
found  his  force  amounted  to  some  hundred  and  fifty 
men.  However,  Mirambo  did  not  attack  him,  and,  five 
days  after,  retreated.  The  Arabs  urged  Stanley  to  be- 
come their  ally,  but  he  refused,  and  resolved  to  start  by 
a more  southern  route,  and  by  forced  marches,  enter 
Ujiji  before  the  way  was  blocked. 

Stanley  really  had  a good  excuse  for  abandoning 
the  enterprise  and  returning  to  the  coast ; but  his  con- 
science and  the  confidence  reposed  in  his  pluck  would 
not  let  him  do  so.  He  would  find  Livingstone  or  die  in 
the  attempt.  He  had  received  some  old  news  from  him, 
by  which  he  knew  he  must  be  in  need  of  supplies ; and 
if  Stanley  could  not  make  his  way  to  Livingstone,  it  was 
equally  certain  that  Livingstone  could  not  reach  the 
coast.  Stanley  had  fully  discharged  his  obligations  to 
the  Arabs,  and  henceforth  they  could  fight  their  own 
battles  with  Mirambo. 

A little  boy,  whom  Stanley  named  Kalulu,  was  here 
presented  to  him  by  an  Arab  named  Mohammed. 

A new  difficulty  arose  here.  The  new  pagazis  said 


STOPPED  BY  WAR. 


97 


they  had  been  employed  for  the  route  through  Miram- 
bo’s  country,  and  they  would  go  no  other.  Time  was 
lost  in  obtaining  new  carriers.  Then  some  of  the  sol- 
diers fell  sick ; Stanley  was  kept  busy  doctoring  and 
nursing  them  ; Shaw  was  sick  and  melancholy  by  turns, 
and  Stanley  tried  in  vain  to  infuse  any  life  into  him. 
Thus  weeks  passed,  till  the  19th  of  September  came, 
when  Stanley  himself  had  a slight  attack  of  fever. 
While  the  fever  was  at  its  height,  the  moping  Shaw  came 
in  and  asked  to  whom  he  should  write  in  case  Stanley 
died,  whereupon  Stanley,  not  proposing  to  die,  sent  him 
about  his  business. 

The  following  extract  from  his  diary  serves  to  show 
the  spirit  which  supported  Stanley  all  through  the  vast 
enterprise : 

“ About  10  p.  m.  the  fever  had  gone.  All  were 
asleep  in  the  tembe  but  myself,  and  an  unutterable  lone- 
liness came  on  me,  as  I reflected  on  my  position  and 
my  intentions,  and  felt  the  utter  lack  of  sympathy  with 
me  in  all  around.  Even  my  own  white  assistant,  with 
whom  I had  striven  hard,  was  less  sympathizing  than 
my  little  black  boy  Kalulu.  It  requires  more  nerve  than 
I possess  to  dispel  all  the  dark  presentiments,  that  come 
upon  the  mind.  But  probably  what  I call  presentiments 
are  simply  the  impress  on  the  mind  of  the  warnings 
which  these  false-hearted  Arabs  have  so  often  repeated. 
The  melancholy  and  loneliness  I feel  may  probably  have 
their  origin  from  the  same  cause.  The  single  candle 
that  barely  lights  up  the  dark  shade  that  fills  the  corners 
of  my  room,  is  but  a poor  incentive  to  cheerfulness.  I 
feel  as  though  I were  imprisoned  between  stone  walls. 
But  why  should  I feel  as  if  baited  by  these  stupid,  slow- 
witted  Arabs,  and  their  warnings  and  croakings?  I 
fancy  a suspicion  haunts  my  mind  as  I write,  that  there 


98 


STOPPED  BY  WAB. 


lies  some  motive  behind  all  this.  I wonder  if  these 
Arabs  tell  me  all  these  things  to  keep  me  here,  in  the 
hope  that  I might  be  induced  another  time  to  assist 
them  in  their  war  with  Mirambo.  If  they  think  so,  they 
are  much  mistaken,  for  I have  taken  a solemn,  enduring 
oath,  an  oath  to  be  kept  while  the  least  hope  of  life  re- 
mains in  me,  not  to  be  tempted  to  break  the  resolution 
I have  formed,  never  to  give  up  the  search  until  I find 
Livingstone  alive,  or  find  his  dead  body ; and  never  to 
return  home  without  the  strongest  possible  proofs  that 
he  is  alive,  or  that  he  is  dead.  No  living  man,  or  living 
men,  shall  stop  me ; nothing  but  death  can  prevent  me. 
But  death— not  even  this:  I shall  not  die,  I will  not 
die,  I cannot  die ! And  something  tells  me — I do  not 
know  what  it  is, — perhaps  it  is  the  ever  living  hopeful- 
ness of  my  own  nature,  perhaps  it  is  the  natural  pre- 
sumption born  out  of  an  abundant  and  glowing  vitality, 
or  the  outcome  of  an  overweening  confidence  in  one’s 
self — anyhow  and  everyhow,  something  tells  me  to- 
night I shall  find  him,  and — write  it  larger — FIND 
HIM,  FIND  HIM.  Even  the  words  are  inspiring.  I 
feel  more  happy.  Have  I uttered  a prayer?  I shall 
sleep  calmly  to-night.” 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


A DETOUR. 


| IE  SPITE  the  counsel  of  the  Arabs,  Stanley  pre- 
pared  to  march  on  September  20,  with  a force 
of  fifty-four  men,  though  he  was  quite  weak  from  his  at- 
tack of  fever.  Ail  were  in  their  places  except  Bombay. 
A messenger  found  him  weeping  in  the  arms  of  his  Deli- 
lah. 

“ Why  did  you  go  away,  Bombay,  when  you  knew 
I intended  to  go,  and  was  waiting  ? ” 

“ Oh,  master,  I was  saying  good-bye  to  my  missis.” 
“Oh,  indeed.” 

“Yes,  master;  you  no  do  it,  when  you  go  away?” 
“ Silence,  sir.” 

“ Oh,  all  right.” 

“ What  is  the  matter  with  you,  Bombay?  ” 

“Oh,  nuffin.” 

Seeing  he  was  in  a quarrelsome  mood,  and  being 
determined  not  to  be  balked  before  the  Arabs,  Stanley 
administered  a sound  thrashing  to  the  loving  Bombay, 
The  ever-croaking  Shaw  now  desired  to  be  left  behind, 
saying  he  was  sick,  but  Stanley  induced  him  to  go  on. 
After  a short  time  the  men  gathered  more  spirit,  and 
things  looked  more  hopeful.  But  the  fever  again  attacked 
Stanley.  The  men  thereupon  became  discouraged,  and 
when  Stanley  began  to  prepare  for  the  next  march, 


100 


A DETOUR. 


twenty  men  were  missing.  Selecting  twenty  of  the 
strongest  and  most  faithful  of  his  retainers,  he  sent  them 
after  the  missing  men,  and  another  to  a neighboring 
sheikh  to  buy  or  borrow  a long  slave  chain.  At  night- 
the  detectives  returned  with  only  nine  of  the  run- 
aways ; the  rest  had  departed  in  a body  and  could  not  be 
found.  Stanley  then  showed  his  chain,  saying  he  had 
never  used  a slave  chain,  but  would  use  it  on  the  first 
deserters.  He  did  not,  however,  use  it  in  the  present 
instance,  thinking  to  frighten  them  into  good  behavior. 
Next  morning  two  more  men  were  gone.  They  were  sent 
after,  brought  back,  flogged  and  chained.  Next  morn- 
ing another  carrier  was  gone,  and  with  him  he  had  taken 
all  his  wages  and  a gun.  One  man  now  asked  and  ob- 
tained his  discharge,  while  several  were  taken  very  sick 
and  were  unable  to  proceed.  It  seemed  as  if  the  expe- 
dition must  be  given  up.  But  men  coming  in  from  the 
coast  that  evening,  revived  the  spirits  of  all  with 
their  wonderful  stories,  and  they  proceeded.  A march 
of  three  hours  brought  them  to  Kigandu.  Almost  at 
the  threshold  of  the  camp,  Shaw,  in  endeavoring  to  dis- 
mount, lost  his  stirrups,  and  fell  to  the  ground  on  his 
face.  This  little  by-play  was  getting  too  common ; so 
Stanley,  when  the  men  ran  to  his  assistance,  ordered 
them  to  leave  him  alone.  The  foolish  fellow  actually 
lay  there  an  hour  in  the  hot  sun,  and  when  Stanley 
asked  him  if  he  did  not  feel  rather  uncomfortable,  he  sat 
up  and  cried  like  a baby.  Then  occurred  the  following 
dialogue : 

“ Do  you  wish  to  go  back,  Mr.  Shaw  ? ” 

“If  you  please;  I do  not  believe  I can  go  any 
farther;  and  if  you  would  only  be  kind  enough,  I should 
like  very  much  to  return.” 

“Wellj  Mr,  Shaw,  I have  come  to  the  conclusion 


A DETOUR. 


101 


that  it  is  best  you  should  return.  My  patience  is  worn 
out.  I have  endeavored  faithfully  to  lift  you  above 
these  petty  miseries  which  you  nourish  so  devotedly. 
You  are  simply  suffering  from  hypochondria.  You  im- 
agine yourself  sick,  and  nothing,  evidently,  will  persuade 
you  that  you  are  not.  Mark  my  words — to  return  to 
Unyanyembe  is  to  die.  Should  you  happen  to  fall  sick 
in  Kwihara,  who  knows  how  to  administer  medicine  to 
you  ? Supposing  you  are  delirious,  how  can  any  of  my 
soldiers  know  what  you  want,  or  what  is  beneficial  and 
necessary  for  you  ? Once  again  I repeat  it,  if  you  return, 
you  DIE.” 

“ Ah,  dear  me,  I wish  I had  never  ventured  to  come. 
I thought  life  in  Africa  was  so  different  from  this.  I 
would  rather  go  back,  if  you  will  permit  me.” 

Accordingly  arrangements  were  made  for  him  to  re- 
turn. Before  they  parted,  they  spent  the  night  together. 
Shaw  played  some  tunes  on  an  old  accordeon  brought 
from  Zanzibar;  but  though  it  was  only  a poor  affair, 
Stanley  thought  the  tunes  evoked  were  divine  melodies. 
The  last  tune  played  was  “ Home,  sweet  Home,  ” and  be- 
fore it  was  ended,  they  were  mutually  softened  toward 
each  other. 

On  the  morning  of  the  27th,  having  left  behind  all 
the  sick  and  afflicted,  Stanley  again  set  forward,  and  in 
seven  hours  reached  Ugunda,  a village  of  two  thousand. 

This  little  village  is  so  strongly  fortified,  and  the 
ground  for  a mile  around  it  is  so  carefully  cleared,  that 
it  can  hardly  be  taken  by  any  means  common  in  African 
warfare.  Even  the  robber  Mirambo  was  several  times 
ignominiously  repulsed. 

Not  unfrequently  Stanley  or  some  of  his  men  would 
be  laid  up  temporarily  with  fever  bred  by  the  malarial, 
half-drained  regions  they  were  frequently  compelled  to 


102 


A DETOUR. 


cross.  The  African  fever  is  peculiar.  It  causes  the  suf- 
ferer intense  agony  of  mind  during  his  delirium,  render- 
ing him  remarkably  peevish  and  choleric.  While  sick, 
he  regards  himself  as  the  focus  of  all  miseries.  When 
he  recovers,  he  becomes  ridiculously  amiable,  seeing 
only  delights  in  all  things  which  yesterday  tormented 
him  so  grievously.  His  men  he  regards  with  love  and 
friendship ; whatever  is  trite  he  views  with  ecstasy.  Na- 
ture appears  charming ; in  the  dead  woods  and  monot- 
onous forests,  his  mind  becomes  overwhelmed  with  delight. 

For  some  days  the  route  lay  through  an  arid, 
sparsely  settled  region,  the  path  through  which  was 
marked  by  skeletons  of  men  who  had  fallen  from  the 
ranks  of  other  caravans,  and  died  in  the  wilderness.  At 
length  they  reached  a village  called  Manyara,  on  the  bor- 
der of  an  uninhabited  tract  twenty-five  miles  wide. 
Here  it  was  necessary  to  procure  supplies.  The  surly 
chief  refused  to  favor  the  great  white  man.  Stanley, 
finding  his  men  hungry  and  mutinous,  sent  the  chief  a 
rich  present.  It  was  returned.  In  the  morning  a second 
was  sent.  This  conciliated  him,  and  provisions  were 
brought  in  abundance.  Soon  the  chief  and  his  officers 
visited  Stanley,  surveying  critically  his  face,  clothes,  and 
guns.  They  were  immediately  pleased  with  the  rifles, 
guns  and  pistols,  being  convulsed  with  laughter.  Hav- 
ing explained  to  them  the  difference  between  white  men 
and  Arabs,  Stanley  exhibited  his  medicine  chest,  which 
evoked  another  burst  of  admiration.  Producing  a bot- 
tle of  ammonia,  he  explained  that  it  was  good  for  snake 
bites  and  headaches ; when  the  sultan  was  immediate- 
ly seized  with  a headache,  and  a desire  to  try  the  white 
man's  medicine.  Telling  him  to  close  his  eyes,  Stanley 
suddenly  uncorked  the  bottle,  and  presented  it  to  his 
majesty’s  nose* 


A DETOUR. 


108 


The  effect  was  magical,  for  he  fell  back  as  if  shot, 
while  his  features  underwent  indescribable  contortions. 
The  chiefs  yelled  with  delight,  and  each  pushed  forward 
to  get  a smell.  Each  in  turn  went  through  the  most 
ludicrous  performances,  to  the  intense  delight  of  the 
spectators.  “ Oh,”  said  the  sultan  at  parting,  “ these 
white  men  know  everything ; the  Arabs  are  dirt  compared 
to  them.” 

Leaving  here,  they  passed  on  through  an  open  for- 
est resembling  a park,  surrounded  by  beautiful  scenery, 
and  abounding  with  many  kinds  of  tropical  animals.  It 
was  a veritable  hunter’s  paradise.  Stanley  halted  here  for 
two  or  three  days  to  give  the  men  a rest,  and  to  procure 
supplies  of  meat.  Game  was  so  abundant  that  there 
was  no  difficulty  in  securing  any  quantity  of  it.  Stan- 
ley went  out  the  first  afternoon  and  shot  a spring-bok 
and  zebra.  Strolling  down  to  the  pool  below  the  camp, 
the  cool,  placid  water  strongly  tempted  the  hot  and 
weary  traveler  to  take  a bath.  “ I ventured  to  undress, 
and  had  already  stepped  in  to  my  ankles  in  water,  and 
had  brought  my  hands  together  for  a glorious  dive,  when 
my  attention  was  attracted  by  an  enormously  long  body 
which  shot  into  view,  occupying  the  spot  beneath  the  sur- 
face which  I was  about  to  explore  by  a header.  Great 
heavens ! it  was  a crocodile.  I sprang  back  instinc- 
tively, and  this  proved  my  salvation,  for  the  monster 
turned  away  with  the  most  disappointed  look,  and  I was 
left  to  congratulate  myself  upon  my  narrow  escape  from 
his  jaws,  and  to  register  a vow  never  to  be  tempted 
again  by  the  treacherous  calm  of  an  African  river.” 

Not  so  tragic  an  ending  of  a day  as  often  occurs. 
A party  of  men  gather  for  a frolic  in  the  water,  not 
dreaming  of  danger.  You  stand  on  the  shore  watching 
someone  unusually  exhilarated  in  the  keen  enjoyment  of 


ATTACKING  A CROCODILE. 


A DETOUR. 


105 


his  bath.  A shadow  glides  toward  him — seemingly  that 
of  a cloud  in  the  sky;  there  is  a start,  a scream,  a 
throwing  up  the  hands,  a swirl — the  shadow  glides  away, 
vanishes.  The  man  is  the  prey  of  a crocodile. 

These  creatures  are  the  terror  of  nearly  all  African 
rivers.  Scores  of  persons  are  carried  off  by  them  every 
year.  The  natives  seldom  molest  them,  unless  some 
person  has  been  killed  by  them ; then  they  sometimes 
stalk  and  kill  them.  A crocodile’s  hide  is  so  tough  that 
only  behind  the  fore  leg  can  a bullet  or  knife  success- 
fully penetrate.  The  natives  sometimes  undertake  the 
perilous  feat  of  stealing  alongside  the  beast  and  stab- 
bing him  deeply  there ; this  seals  his  fate.  If  the  wound 
be  not  mortal,  yet  the  crayfish  and  shrimps  will  find  the 
open  wound,  and  gradually  eat  the  beast  up,  leaving 
only  his  tough  hide.  He  dies  by  inches,  an  agonizing 
death. 

With  no  special  adventures,  and  without  difficulty, 
the  men  laid  in  a bountiful  supply  of  meat  in  their  two 
days’  halt  here.  They  literally  gorged  themselves,  and  as 
usual  were  unwilling  to  leave  a land  of  plenty.  Conse- 
quently there  was  much  grumbling  and  dissatisfaction 
on  being  told  to  march.  Walking  some  distance  behind 
with  his  gun  bearers,  Stanley  saw  the  caravan  come  to 
a halt,  and  a nearer  approach  showed  the  baggage 
on  the  ground,  and  the  men  conversing  excitedly. 
Taking  his  double-barreled  gun,  and  a dozen  cartridges 
loaded  with  buckshot,  he  walked  toward  the  men,  notic- 
ing that  they  seized  their  guns  at  his  approach.  When 
within  thirty  yards  of  the  group,  he  discovered  the  heads 
of  two  men  appear  above  an  ant-hill,  with  their  guns 
pointed  toward  the  road.  Halting,  he  took  deliberate 
aim  at  them,  and  threatened  to  blow  their  heads  off  if 
they  did  not  come  forward.  These  two  men  were  As- 


106 


A DETOUR. 


mani  and  Mabruki,  the  guides  of  Sheikh  bin  Nasib. 
Seeing  it  was  dangerous  not  to  comply  with  such  an 
order,  they  came  forth,  but  Asmani  brought  his  gun  to 
the  “ready”  with  his  fingers  on  the  trigger.  Again 
Stanley  lifted  his  piece,  threatening  him  with  instant 
death  if  he  did  not  drop  his  gun.  Asmani  came  on  in  a 
sidelong  way,  with  a smirking  smile  on  his  face,  but  in 
his  eyes  shone  murder  as  plainly  as  it  ever  shone  in  a 
villain’s  eyes.  Meanwhile,  Mabruki  sneaked  around 
to  the  rear,  putting  powder  in  the  pan  of  his  musket. 
Wheeling  sharply  around,  Stanley  brought  the  muzzle 
of  his  gun  within  two  feet  of  his  face,  ordering  him  to 
drop  the  gun  instantly.  Mabruki  obeyed  at  once,  when 
Stanley  gave  him  a vigorous  punch  in  the  breast  with 
his  gun,  sending  him  reeling  away  a few  feet.  Facing 
around,  with  his  finger  working  nervously  on  the  trigger, 
he  commanded  Asmani  to  put  down  his  gun.  Instead 
of  complying,  Asmani  began  to  raise  his  gun  to  his 
shoulder,  when  Mabruki  Speke,  gliding  up  behind  him, 
struck  the  gun  from  his  hand,  crying,  “Man,  how  dare 
you  point  your  gun  at  the  master  ?”  This  ended  the 
trouble,  peace  was  concluded,  and  with  one  accord  the 
men  agreed  to  go  on. 

The  instigators  of  this  mutiny  were  Bombay  and  a 
savage  named  Ambari.  Snatching  up  a staff,  Stanley 
laid  it  vigorously  on  Bombay’s  shoulders,  then  turning, 
sprang  upon  Ambari,  whose  smirking  face  underwent  a 
remarkable  transformation  in  a very  short  time.  Put- 
ting them  both  in  chains,  he  kept  them  there  till  both 
eagerly  begged  pardon. 

After  a three  days’  march,  in  which  water  was  very 
scarce,  the  caravan  reached  Marefu.  Here  they  found 
an  embassy  from  the  Arabs  of  Unyanyembe,  which  had 


A DETOUR. 


107 


been  sent  with  presents  to  the  southern  W atuta.  It  had 
been  stopped  here  by  the  report  that  two  neighboring 
chiefs  were  at  war.  Stanley  kindly  offered  the  Arab 
caravan  his  protection,  which  was  declined.  As  he  had 
now  been  traveling  fourteen  days  in  a southwesterly 
direction,  and  was  sufficiently  far  south  to  be  out  of  dan- 
ger from  Mirambo,  he  struck  off  west-by-north,  toward 
Lake  Tanganyika.  The  little  experience  which  Stanley 
had  had  with  the  Arabs  and  natives,  had  given  him 
much  more  confidence  in  himself ; so,  when  a neighbor- 
ing drunken  chieftain  demanded  a heavy  tribute  for  the 
privilege  of  passing  through  his  country,  Stanley  coolly 
fortified  a camp,  and  proceeded  to  fix  his  own  toll- 
rate. 

A few  days  later,  in  a marsh  on  the  border  of  Mrera, 
Stanley  saw  his  first  herd  of  wild  elephants,  and  was 
much  impressed  by  the  sight,  feeling  disposed  to  call 
the  elephant,  rather  than  the  cowardly  lion,  king  of 
beasts.  This  animal  abound  through  Central  Africa, 
and  produces  one  of  the  chief  articles  of  merchandise 
sought  by  the  Arabs.  In  fact,  many  Arabs,  when  asked 
why  they  carry  on  a slave-trade,  will  tell  you  that  they 
only  keep  slaves  to  carry  their  ivory  and  the  goods  neces- 
sary to  purchase  it.  Methods  of  hunting  the  elephant 
are  various.  In  Central  Africa  they  are  killed  chiefly 
by  means  of  pitfalls,  or  by  heavily  loaded  spears  sus- 
pended from  the  trees,  and  released  by  a trigger  touched 
by  the  passing  animal.  In  W est  Africa,  they  are  enticed 
into  a kraal  by  means  of  herbs,  of  which  they  are  spec- 
ially fond,  and  the  natives  can  then  kill  them  at  leisure: 
In  Abyssinia,  and  the  neighboring  regions,  the  hunters 
pursue  them  with  swift  horses,  and  armed  only  with  a 
strong,  keen  sword.  Having  selected  their  animal,  they 


108 


A DETOUR. 


endeavor  to  tease  him  into  a charge,  screaming  at  him. 
or  chanting  some  such  song  as  this : 

We  are  thy  foes,  we  are  thy  foes. 

We  killed  thy  grandfather,  thy  father, 

And  thy  brothers ; 

Now  we  will  kill  thee. 

Thou  art  but  a cowardly  vagabond, 

If  thou  fleest  instead  of  facing  us. 

Having  thoroughly  enraged  the  animal,  one  of  them 
rides  swiftly  by  to  draw  his  charge,  while  a comrade  at- 
tacks the  elephant  from  the  rear,  hamstringing  him 
with  his  keen  sword.  The  beast  is  then  at  the  mercy  of 
the  hunters. 

The  African  elephant,  though  a far  larger  animal, 
is  deemed  inferior  to  the  Asiatic  in  intelligence.  The 
former  furnishes  sport  for  the  hunter ; the  latter  is  tamed 
by  the  natives  of  Southern  Asia,  and  made  to  labor  in 
various  ways.  But  either  species  will  tax  the  hunter’s 
ingenuity  not  a little,  ere  he  can  overtake  and  kill  one. 
Sir  Samuel  Baker,  having  cornered  a fine  herd  in  a 
marsh  by  the  Nile,  succeeded  in  bagging  but  two  of 
them.  The  rest  swam  the  stream,  and  with  their  tusks 
tore  a path  in  the  steep  bank  on  the  other  side,  and 
so  escaped. 

Arriving  at  Mrera,  Stanley  learned  that  immedi- 
ately beyond  him  lay  a comparatively  uninhabited  re- 
gion, the  crossing  of  which  would  occupy  nine  days. 
He  accordingly  availed  himself  of  a halt  necessitated  by 
the  sickness  of  his  interpreter,  Selim,  to  patch  his  shoes 
and  clothes  and  obtain  a supply  of  grain.  While  cross- 
ing this  wilderness,  Stanley  was  overtaken  by  an  em- 
bassy from  a chief  in  southern  Unyanyembe,  requesting  a 
small  present  of  cloth  as  a memento,  or  token  of  friend- 
ship! Very  smooth-tongued  are  these  African  black- 
mailers ! Their  manner  reminds  one  of  the  Chinese 


ELEPHANTS  CLIMBING  A BANK. 


110 


A DETOUR. 


highwayman,  who  accosts  the  traveler  with:  “Vener- 
able elder  brother,  I am  very  cold;  will  you  lend  me 
the  loan  of  your  coat?”  or,  “ I am  very  hungry;  would 
you  kindly  loan  me  your  purse  ? ” Stanley  paid  a good 
round  sum  for  the  friendship  of  this  negro  chief. 

One  very  disagreeable  feature  encountered  in  this 
district,  Was  the  number  of  ravines  filled  with  water  and 
slimy  ooze,  through  which  the  men  were  compelled  to 
plunge.  After  a day  or  two  of  this  sort  of  travel,  they 
reached  the  Mtambu  river,  the  first  cool,  clear  water 
they  had  seen  for  some  time.  They  were  now  in  the 
land  of  the  lion  and  the  leopard.  Soon  after  camping, 
on  the  22d  of  October,  the  herder,  who  had  charge  of 
the  goats  and  donkeys,  started  to  water  the  animals. 
On  the  way,  a black  spotted  leopard  sprang  on  one  of 
the  donkeys,  and  fastened  its  teeth  in  his  throat.  The 
donkey  began  to  bray  hideously,  when  its  companions 
set  up  such  a frightful  chorus  and  lashed  their  heels  out 
so  vigorously,  that  the  leopard  bounded  away.  The 
donkey  had  some  gashes,  but  was  not  dangerously  hurt. 

Thinking  that  possibly  he  might  meet  with  an  ad- 
venture, Stanley  took  his  gun  and  the  boy  Kalulu,  with 
an  extra  supply  of  ammunition.  Presently  he  saw  a 
huge,  reddish-colored  wild  boar,  armed  with  most  hor- 
rid tusks.  Leaving  Kalulu  behind  one  tree,  and  his  hel- 
met behind  another,  he  stalked  to  within  forty  yards  of 
the  animal,  and  fired.  As  if  nothing  had  hurt  him,  the 
animal  made  a furious  bound,  and  then  stood  with  his 
bristles  erected,  his  tufted  tail  curved  over  his  back,  pre- 
senting a very  formidable  appearance.  While  he  was 
thus  listening,  and  searching  the  neighborhood  with  his 
keen,  small  eyes,  Stanley  planted  another  shot  in  his 
chest,  which  plowed  its  way  through  his  body.  Instead 
of  falling,  he  charged  furiously  in  the  direction  from 


3ET0UR. 


I'i 

whicii  jjQu  oaii  naa  come,  ana  ecS  he  rushed  past,  Stan- 
ley put  another  ball  right  through  him.  Still  he  kept 
on  till  within  six  or  seven  yards  of  the  tree  behind 
which  Kalulu  was  hiding,  when  he  suddenly  halted  and 
then  dropped.  Stanley  then  advanced  to  cut  his  throat, 
when  catching  sight  of  Kalulu,  and  almost  immediately 
afterwards  of  the  white  helmet,  he  sprang  up,  and  with 
a terrific  grunt,  dashed  into  a thick  brake,  whence  he 
could  not  be  dislodged.  As  it  was  getting  late,  and  the 
camp  was  three  miles  away,  they  were  compelled  to  re- 
turn to  camp  without  any  meat. 

Two  or  three  days  later  the  caravan  crossed  one 
of  those  peculiar  African  natural  bridges.  Keeds  and 
other  aquatic  plants  in  a shallow  stream  will  stop  a vast 
deal  of  floating  refuse.  In  time  the  mass  will  be  over- 
grown with  sedge  and  grass,  and  so  well  matted  together 
that  men  or  beasts  may  readily  walk  thereon,  while  un- 
derneath is  a swiftly  flowing  stream 

On  the  2d  of  November  one  of  the  donkeys  was 
seized  by  a crocodile,  as  the  party  was  crossing  the  Mal- 
agarazi  river.  They  were  much  delayed  here  by  the  av- 
arice of  a Mvinza  chief,  and  by  the  extortion  of  a ferry- 
man. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


LIVINGSTONE  FOUND. 


ON  November  3rd,  1871,  Stanley’s  party  met  a car- 
avan of  Waguhha,  coming  from  the  westward. 
Asking  the  news,  they  were  startled  by  the  infor- 
mation that  a white  man  had  arrived  at  Ujiji  from 
Manyuema.  We  take  Stanley’s  dialogue  with  the  car- 
avan, and  his  own  words,  expressive  of  his  thoughts : — 
“ 4 A white  man  ? ’ 

44  4 Yes,  a white  man.  ’ 

4 4 4 How  is  he  dressed?’ 

4 4 4 Like  the  master,  ’ (referring  to  myself). 

4 4 4 Is  he  young,  or  old  ? ’ 

44  4 He  is  old.  He  has  white  hair  on  his  face,  and 
is  sick.  ’ 

44  ‘Where  has  he  come  from?’ 

4 4 4 From  a far  country  away  beyond  Uguhha,  called 
Manyuema.  ’ 

44  4 Indeed  ! and  is  he  stopping  at  Ujiji  now?  ’ 

4 4 4 Yes,  we  saw  him  about  eight  days  ago.  ’ 

44  ‘Do  you  think  he  will  stop  there  till  we  see  him  ?’ 

4 4 4 Sique’  (don’t  know). 

4 4 4 Was  he  ever  at  Ujiji  before  ? ’ 

44  4 Yes,  he  went  away  a long  time  ago.  ’ 

4 4 4 Hurrah  ! this  is  Livingstone.  He  must  be  Living- 
stone. He  can  be  no  other ; but  still — he  may  be  some 
one  else — some  oiie  from  the  west  coast — or  perhaps  he 

(U2) 


LIVINGSTONE  FOUND. 


113 


is  Baker ! No,  Baker  has  no  white  hair  on  his  face. 
But  we  must  now  march  quick,  lest  he  hears  we  are 
coming,  and  runs  away. 9 

“ I addressed  my  men,  and  asked  them  if  they  were 
willing  to  march  to  Ujiji  without  a single  halt,  and  then 
promised  them,  if  they  acceded  to  my  wishes,  two  doti 
to  each  man.  All  answered  in  the  affirmative,  almost 
as  much  rejoiced  as  I myself  was.  But  I was  madly 
rejoiced : intensely  eager  to  resolve  the  burning  ques- 
tion, ‘Is  it  Dr.  David  Livingstone.  ’ God  grant  me 
patience,  but  I do  wish  there  was  a railroad,  or  at  least, 
horses  in  this  country.  With  a horse  I could  reach 
Ujiji  in  twelve  hours.  ” 

But  now,  new  obstacles  arose.  The  chiefs  became 
more  obstinate  in  their  demands.  One  in  particular, 
Mionvu,  demanded  one  hundred  cloths.  This  was  more 
particularly  aggravating,  since  the  king’s  nephew  had 
collected  a large  tribute  saying  it  was  for  the  king, 
which  he  kept  himself.  Stanley  was  compelled  to  halt 
and  bargain  with  Mionvu.  Only  Stanley’s  intense  anxi- 
ety to  be  going,  prevented  him  from  going  to  war  with 
Mionvu.  At  last  after  much  dispute,  Stanley  gave  him 
seventy-five  doti  of  cloth,  and  again  set  forward.  Four 
hours’  march  brought  them  to  the  domain  of  the  king’s 
brother.  Again  came  another  heavy  demand  for  trib- 
ute. The  king’s  brother  demanded  thirty  doti.  Stan- 
ley says : 

“ If  I only  dared  publish  all  the  wild,  furious 
thoughts  that  raged  in  my  mind  when  this  was  an- 
nounced, I should  be  shocked  myself  at  some  future 
calm  moment,  I have  no  doubt.  But  I was  angry. 
Angry ! j Angry  is  not  the  word ; I was  savage — rendered 
desperately  savage!  Able,  ready,  and  willing  to  fight 
and  die,  but  not  to  be  halted  by  a set  of  miserable, 


114 


LIVINGSTONE  FOUND. 


naked  robbers  ! Within  sight  of  Ujiji,  one  may  almost 
say — but  four  days’  march  from  this  white  man  whom  I 
take  to  be  Livingstone,  unless  there  is  a duplicate  of 
him  traveling  about  in  this  country.  Merciful  Provi- 
dence ! what  shall  I do  ? 

We  had  been  told  by  Mionvu  that  the  honga  of 
Uhha  was  settled, — -and  now  here  is  another  demand 
from  the  king’s  brother ! It  is  the  second  time  the  lie 
has  been  told,  and  twice  we  have  been  deceived.  We 
shall  be  deceived  no  more.  ” 

Learning  that  there  were  still  five  chiefs  who  would 
demand  tribute,  Stanley  determined  to  avoid  them,  if 
possible  by  a night  march.  Accordingly,  he  arranged 
with  a native  to  guide  him,  agreeing  to  pay  him  twelve 
doti  of  cloth,  if  successful.  The  only  difficulty  would  be 
in  keeping  his  people  quiet  while  passing  the  villages. 

Purchasing  supplies  sufficient  for  six  days,  he 
started  in  a southern  direction,  and  an  hour’s  march 
brought  them  to  a grassy  plain,  across  which  they  went, 
despite  the  usual  obstacles  of  African  travel.  Bravely 
toiled  the  men,  without  murmur,  though  their  naked 
legs  were  bleeding  from  the  cruel  grass.  At  daybreak 
they  halted  for  breakfast  near  a river,  not  daring  to 
shoot  any  of  the  large  numbers  of  wild  game  around 
them,  lest  they  should  arouse  the  neighborhood.  After 
resting  an  hour,  some  natives  were  seen  coming  toward 
them  from  the  right  bank  of  the  river.  Seeing  them, 
the  natives  took  to  their  heels,  shouting  as  they  ran,  to 
alarm  some  villages  about  four  miles  off.  Immediately 
resuming  the  march,  Stanley  crossed  the  river,  and 
struck  direct  for  a bamboo  jungle  in  the  front.  Almost 
as  soon  as  he  entered,  a weak-brained  woman  raised  a 
series  of  piercing  yells.  The  men  were  appalled  at  this 
noisy  outbreak,  fearing  the  vengeance  of  the  Wahha  for 


LIVINGSTONE  FOUND. 


115 


evading  the  tribute.  For  no  cause  whatever,  again  and 
again,  the  woman  screamed  fearfully.  Some  of  the 
men  at  once  dropped  their  loads  and  vanished  into  the 
jungle.  The  guide  rushed  back  and  implored  Stanley  to 
stop  her  noise.  The  woman’s  husband,  livid  with  rage 
and  fear,  drew  his  sword  and  asked  permission  to  cut  off 
her  head.  Stanley  attempted  to  shut  her  up  by  putting 
his  hand  over  her  mouth,  but  she  only  wrestled  violently 
with  him,  yelling  louder  than  ever.  Stanley’s  account 
is  as  follows : 

“ There  remained  nothing  for  me  to  do  but  to  try 
the  virtue  of  the  whip  over  her  shoulders.  I asked  her 
to  desist  after  the  first  blow.  No ! she  continued  her 
insane  cries  with  increased  force  and  volume.  Again 
my  whip  descended  over  her  shoulders.  No  ! no  ! no  ! 
Another  blow.  Will  you  hush  ? No,  no,  no  ! Louder  and 
louder  she  cried,  faster  and  faster  I showered  the  blows 
for  the  taming  of  this  shrew.  However,  seeing  I was 
as  determined  to  flog  as  she  was  to  cry,  she  desisted 
before  the  tenth  blow  and  became  silent.  A cloth  was 
folded  over  her  mouth,  and  her  arms  tied  behind  her ; 
and  in  a few  moments,  the  runaways  having  returned  to 
their  duty,  the  expedition  moved  forward  with  redoubled 
force.  ” 

Proceeding  with  all  possible  caution  and  diligence 
barely  evading  detection  once,  at  least,  they  entered 
Ukaranga — an  event  that  was  hailed  with  shouts  of  joy. 
The  villagers  of  the  first  village  took  the  party  to  be  a 
party  of  Mirambo’s  marauders,  and  marveled  when 
matters  were  explained,  that  Stanley  had  been  able  to 
get  past  Mirambo.  Stanley’s  impatience  and  anxiety 
was  now  most  intense, — another  day  would  bring  him 
face  to  face  with  the  old  man  with  white  hairs  on  his 


116 


LIVINGSTONE  FOUND. 


face,  and  he  should  know  certainly  whether  or  not  his 
mission  was  accomplished. 

Starting  rapidly  forward  in  the  morning,  two  hours’ 
march  took  them  to  a steep  hill,  which  they  breathlessly 
ascended,  and  the  glorious  Tangayika  burst  on  their 
view!  Stanley’s  delight  and  joy  at  this  sight  knew  no 
bounds.  Entrancing  as  was  the  scene,  however,  he  de- 
scended and  pushed  forward  in  all  haste,  lest  the  news  of 
his  coming  should  reach  Ujiji,  and  the  people  come  out 
to  meet  them  ere  they  had  made  suitable  preparation. 
Let  Stanley  continue  the  narrative  : — 

“At  last  the  sublime  hour  has  arrived ! Our  dreams, 
our  hopes,  and  our  anticipations  are  about  to  be  real- 
ized ! Our  hearts  and  our  feelings  are  with  our  eyes, 
as  we  peer  into  the  palms,  and  try  to  make  out  in  which 
hut  or  house  lives  the  white  man  with  the  gray  beard 
we  heard  about  on  the  Malagarazi. 

“ Unfurl  your  flags,  and  load  your  guns  ! ” 

“‘Ay,  Wallah;  ay,  Wallah,  bana,’  respond  the 
men  eagerly.’ 

“ ‘ One,  two,  three — fire  !’ 

“A  volley  from  nearly  fifty  guns  roars  like  a salute 
from  a battery  of  artillery ; we  shall  note  its  effect  on 
the  peaceful  looking  village  below.  ’ 

“ ‘ Now,  Kirangozi,  hold  the  white  man’s  flag  up  high, 
and  let  the  Zanzibar  flag  bring  up  the  rear,  and  you 
men  keep  firing  until  we  halt  in  the  market-place,  or  be- 
fore the  white  man’s  house.  You  have  said  to  me  often 
that  you  could  smell  the  fish  of  the  Tangayika — I can 
smell  the  fish  of  the  Tangayika  now.  There  are  fish 
and  beer,  and  a long  rest  waiting  for  you.  March!’’’ 
“ The  volleys  fired  soon  had  the  desired  effect,  for 
the  people  of  Ujiji,  recognizing  the  Amerian  flag,  rushed 
up  the  hill  by  hundreds  to  meet  them.  They  gave  a 


LIVINGSTONE  FOUND. 


$ 

hearty  greeting  to  each  and  all  of  Stanley’s  men,  an. 
Stanley  himself  was  much  startled  by  a voice  on  hi 
right,  saying,  “ Good  morning,  sir.”  ^ 

Turning  sharply  around,  he  saw  at  his  side  a m/ 
with  the  blackest  of  faces,  but  animated  and  joyoU 
— a man  dressed  in  a long  white  shirt,  with  a turban 
American  sheeting  around  his  head. 

“ Who  the  mischief  are  you?”  asked  Stanley.” 

“ I am  Susi,  the  servant  of  Dr.  Livingstone,”  he  r 
plied  smiling. 

“ What ! Is  Dr.  Livingstone  here  ?” 

“Yes,  sir.” 

“In  this  village ? ” 

“Yes,  sir.” 

“ Are  you  sure?  ” 

“ Sure,  sure,  sir.  Why,  I leave  him  just  now.” 

“ Good  morning,  sir,”  said  another  voice. 

“ Hallo  ! ” said  Stanley.  “ Is  this  another  one  ? ” 
“Yes,  sir.” 

“ Well,  what  is  your  name?  ” 

“ My  name  is  Chumah,  sir.” 

“ What ! are  you  Chumah,  the  friend  of  Wekotp^ 

^ Yes,  sir.” 

“ Is  the  Doctor  well?  ” 

“Not  very  well,  sir.” 

“Where  has  he  been  so  long?  ” 

“In  Manyuema.” 

“ Now  you,  Susi,  run  and  tell  the  Doctor  I am  com- 
ing.” 

“Yes,  sir;”  and  off  he  darted  like  a mad  man. 
Soon  Susi  came  running  back,  asking  Stanley’s 
name.  He  had  told  the  Doctor  that  someone  was  com- 
ing, and  when  asked  who  it  was,  he  was  unable  to 
answer.  We  now  let  Stanley  describe  his  emotions : — * 


118 


LlTINGhr^NE  FOUND. 


44  In  the  meantime,  the  head  of  the  expedition  had 
halted,  and  the  Kirangozi  was  out  of  the  ranks,  holding 
his  flag  aloft,  and  Selim  said  to  me,  4 1 see  the  Doctor, 
sir.  Oh,  what  an  old  maai!  He  has  got  a white  beard.’ 
And  I — what  would  I havg  not  given  for  a bit  of  friendly 
wilderness  where,  unseen,  I might  vent  my  joy  in  some 
mad  freak,  such  as  idiotically  biting  my  hand,  turning 
a somersault,  or  slashing  at  trees,  in  order  to  allay  those 
feeings  that  were  wellnigh  uncontrollable.  My  heart  beats 
fast,  but  I must  not  let  my  face  betray  my  emotions,  lest 
it  shall  detract  from  the  dignity  of  a white  man,  appear- 
ing under  such  extraordinary  circumstances.  So  I did 
that  which  I thought  was  most  dignified.  I would  have 
run  to  him,  only  I was  a coward  in  the  presence  of  such 
a mob, — would  have  embraced  him,  only,  he  being  an 
Englishman,  I did  not  know  how  he  would  receive  me ; 
so  I did  that  which  cowardice  and  false  pride  suggested 
was  the  best  thing, — walked  directly  to  him,  took  off  my 
hat,  and  said,  4 Dr.  Livingstone,  I presume  ? ’ 

44  4 Yes/  said  he  with  a kind  smile,  lifting  his  cap 
slightly.” 

44 1 replaced  my  hat  on  my  head,  and  he  puts  on  his 
cap,  and  we  both  grasp  hands,  and  then  I say  aloud : 

44  4 1 thank  God,  Doctor,  that  I have  been  permitted 
to  see  you.’ 

44  He  answered,  4 1 feel  thankful  that  I am  here  to 
welcome  you/ 

And  thus  they  met — those  two  away  in  the  wilds  of 
savage  Africa,  far  from  home  and  friends,  having  fought 
through  dangers,  seen  and  unseen,  to  bring  about  this 
result. 

Stanley’s  joy  was  full ; he  had  found  Livingstone. 
Long  they  conversed  that  night,  Stanley  giving  an 
account  of  all  the  important  affairs  of  the  civilized 


LIVINGSTONE  FOUNB. 


119 


world.  In  his  turn  Livingstone  related  his  own  imme- 
diate troubles  with  thieves  and  sickness.  Stanley  says : 

“ I found  myself  gazing  at  him,  conning  the  wonder- 
ful man  at  whose  side  I now  sat  "in  Central  Africa. 
Every  hair  on  his  head  and  beard,  and  every  wrinkle 
of  his  face,  the  wanness  of  his  features,  the  slightly 
wearied  look  he  bore,  were  all  imparting  intelligence  to 
me — the  knowledge  I craved  for  so  much  ever  since  I 
heard  the  words,  ‘ Take  what  you  want,  but  find  Liv- 
ingstone.’ 

“ This  day,  like  all  others,  though  big  with  happi- 
ness to  me,  was  fading  away.  Hours  passed,  and  we 
were  still  sitting  there  with  our  minds  still  busy  upon 
the  day’s  remarkable  events,  when  I remembered  the 
traveler  had  not  yet  read  his  letters. 

“ ‘ Doctor,’  I said,  you  had  better  read  your  letters ; 
I will  not  keep  you  up  any  longer. 

“‘Yes,’  he  answered,  ‘it  is  getting  late,  and  I will 
go  and  read  my  friends  letters.  Good  night,  and  God 
bless  you.’ 

“ ‘ Good  night,  my  dear  Doctor,  and  let  me  hope 
your  news  will  be  such  as  you  desire.’  ” 

History  tells  us  not  of  another  such  meeting. 
Stanley’s  feelings  can  only  be  imagined.  The  long 
strain  was  over ; suspense  was  ended ; he  had  found  Liv- 
ingstone. 


CHAPTER  X. 


LIVINGSTONE 


'HUS  at  length  the  falsity  of  the  story  told  by  the 
Johanna  men  was  proven.  This  last  journey  of 
Livingstone  had  been  a continual  struggle  with 
the  indolence,  treachery  and  avarice  of  his  own  men, 
and  with  the  greediness  and  hostility  of  the  natives  and 
of  certain  Arabs.  A brief  outline  of  his  dealings  up  to 
this  point  will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  difficul- 
ties with  which  he  had  to  contend,  and  will  throw  light 
upon  the  various  conflicting  rumors  which  had  from  time 
to  time  reached  the  coast.  His  party  had  consisted  of 
nine  Johanna  men,  seven  freedmen  and  twelve  Sepoys, 
who  were  armed  with  Enfield  rifles  presented  to  the  Docr 
tor  by  the  Bombay  government.  They  were  supposed  to 
act  as  guards.  The  only  baggage  taken,  besides  the 
Doctor’s  scientific  and  medical  outfit,  and  his  personal 
effects,  was  a small  quantity  of  cloth  and  beads,  for  the 
purchase  of  food 

Starting  up  the  left  bank  of  the  Bovuma  river,  they 
cut  their  way  for  miles  through  an  almost  impenetrable 
jungle.  At  the  very  outset,  the  Sepoys  and  Johanna 
men  began  to  shirk  and  to  complain.  They  so  abused 
the  animals  that  in  a short  while  no  beasts  of  burden 
were  left.  Failing  to  defeat  the  expedition  in  this  way, 
they  began  instigating  the  natives  against  the  Doctor. 

(121) 


122 


LIVINGSTONE. 


As  the  African  is  very  credulous  of  evil,  the  Doctor  was 
compelled  to  rid  himself  of  the  Sepoys  by  sending  the 
dawdling  rascals  back  to  the  coast.  They  had  habitually 
lagged  in  the  rear  of  the  party,  moaning  and  complain- 
ing, and  moped  into  camp  at  night  as  if  hardly  able  to 
crawl.  Most  valiant  set  of  defenders,  these  ! 

Soon  others  of  the  party  deserted.  When  the 
Doctor  reached  the  Nyassa  region,  two  of  the  freed  slaves 
had  deserted  him,  and  here  another  one  demanded  his 
discharge  upon  a pretext  which  the  Doctor  found  after- 
wards to  be  false.  While  encamped  at  the  extremity  of 
the  lake,  a half-caste  Arab  arrived  from  the  western 
shore  of  the  lake  and  reported  that  he  had  been  plundered 
by  a band  of  Mazitu,  at  a place  which  both  the  Doctor 
and  Musa,  the  chief  of  the  Johanna  men,  knew  to  be  at 
least  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  north-northwest  of 
their  encampment,  and  very  far  out  of  their  route.  The 
Doctor,  after  patiently  hearing  the  tale,  reminded  Musa 
that  the  Mazitu  would  have  killed  the  man  as  well  as 
robbed  him,  and  suggested  that  they  ask  the  opinion  of 
the  chieftain  of  the  village  as  to  the  truth  of  the  Arab’s 
story.  The  chieftain  pronounced  it  false,  asserting  that 
if  the  Mazitu  had  been  in  that  district,  he  should  have 
known  it  at  once.  But  Musa  was  bent  on  an  excuse  for 
abandoning  the  expedition,  and  persisted  in  pretending 
to  believe  the  story  of  the  Arab.  All  the  Doctor’s  prom- 
ises to  proceed  directly  westward  so  as  to  avoid  the  beat 
of  the  Mazitu  were  of  no  avail.  Musa  croaked  and 
wailed  over  his  surely  impending  doom,  and  as  soon  as 
the  party  started  westward,  he  and  his  companions  ran 
away  in  a body.  The  Doctor  felt  strongly  tempted  to 
shoot  Musa  and  another  of  the  ring-leaders,  but  wTas 
afterwards  glad  that  he  did  not  do  so.  A day  or  two 
later,  another  of  the  men  came  to  the  Doctor  with  a tale 


LIVINGSTONE. 


123 


about  the  Mazitu.  Compelled  by  the  scant  number  of 
his  party  to  repress  all  tendencies  to  cowardice  and  de- 
sertion, the  Doctor  sternly  forbade  the  man  to  speak  of 
the  Mazitu  again.  Fortunately,  the  district  upon  which 
they  were  immediately  entering  was  one  as  yet  untrod- 
den by  the  slave-trader,  and  the  natives  were  quite 
friendly  and  hospitable,  and  rendered  the  Doctor  much 
assistance ; otherwise  the  expedition  would  have  had  to 
wait  for  reinforcements  from  the  coast. 

Pursuing  his  way  into  the  interior,  Livingstone 
reached  the  territory  of  the  noted  chief,  Cazembe,  first 
made  known  to  Europeans  by  the  Portuguese  traveler, 
Dr.  Lacerda.  He  was  quite  hospitably  treated  by  this 
chieftain,  who  could  not,  however,  understand  why  the 
white  man  had  come  to  look  for  waters,  rivers  and  seas. 
He  informed  the  Doctor  that  it  was  useless  for  him  to 
go  further,  as  there  was  plenty  of  water  in  his  own  im- 
mediate neighborhood.  He  was  quite  pleased  with 
Livingstone,  however,  and  gave  orders  that  he  should  be 
allowed  to  proceed  whithersoever  he  pleased. 

For  the  next  two  years  the  Doctor  was  chiefly  em- 
ployed in  endeavoring  to  correct  the  mistakes  of  Portu- 
guese geographers.  The  latter  had  been  misled  by  a 
similarity  of  names.  The  Chambezi  river  they  supposed 
to  be  identical  with  the  Zambezi,  and  in  all  their  books 
invariably  spoke  of  it  as  such,  but  upon  crossing  the 
Chambezi,  the  doctor  perceived  that  they  must  be  wrong, 
and  consequently  spent  much  time  carefully  traveling 
over  the  complicated  water  system  of  this  region,  in 
order  to  definitely  settle  the  question.  The  result  was 
as  follows : A large  lake  of  which  he  was  told,  northeast 
of  Cazembe’ s territory,  he  found  to  be  the  southeastern 
extremity  of  lake  Tanganyika.  Proceeding  westward 
from  lake  Tanganyika,  he  came  upon  lake  Moero,  which 


1M 


LIVINGSTONE. 


is  about  sixty  miles  in  length.  He  found  a large  river 
flowing  into  it  from  the  south.  Tracing  up  this  river, 
the  Luapula,  he  found  it  to  proceed  from  the  great  lake 
Bangweolo,  nearly  as  large  in.  superficial  area  as  the 
Tanganyika.  Searching  for  the  feeders  of  this  lake,  he 
discovered  that  one  of  the  most  important  was  the  river 
Chambezi.  It  was  impossible  that  the  Portuguese 
geographers  were  correct.  At  Cazembe’s,  Dr.  Living- 
stone found  an  old  half-caste  Arab,  who  was  kept  as  a 
sort  puSoner  at  large  by  Cazembe,  because  of  certain 
suspicious  circumstances  connected  with  his  arrival  in 
the  country.  Livingstone’s  influence  procured  his  re- 
lease. The  ungrateful  wretch  poisoned  the  minds  of  the 
Doctor’s  followers  against  him,  and  ingratiated  himself 
into  their  favor  by  selling  them  the  favors  of  his  con- 
cubines. Thus  all  the  Doctor’s  followers  were  induced 
to  desert  him,  though  two  of  them,  Susi  and  Chuma, 
soon  returned  to  their  allegiance.  This  vile  ingrate 
brought  the  Doctor  only  trouble  so  long  as  he  was  with 
him. 

In  March,  1869,  Livingstone  reached  Ujiji,  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  Lake  Tanganyika ; and  from  here  he 
wrote  the  letters  which  brought  to  the  civilized  world 
the  news  that  he  was  still  alive,  and  satisfied  all  that 
Musa’s  tale  was  but  the  fabrication  of  a cowardly 
deserter.  Here  also  he  was  subjected  to  such  extortion 
by  the  Arabs  and  natives  that  his  work  was  seriously  hin- 
dered, and  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  some  cherished 
projects.  But  so  long  as  his  means  held  out  he  was 
determined  to  press  forward,  though  he  knew  not  if  the 
great  outer  world  from  which  he  had  been  separated  so 
long  would  ever  hear  of  his  work. 

About  the  first  of  July,  1869,  he  crossed  the  lake  and 
landed  in  Uguhha,  to  explore  the  country  to  the  west- 


LIVINGS  TONE. 


If  5 


ward.  He  bad  beard  much  from  the  Arab  traders  of  a 
great  country  called  Rua,  or  Urua,  which  was  some  four 
hundred  miles  in  length,  and  the  breadth  of  which  was 
unknown,  even  to  the  Arabs  themselves.  They  occa- 
sionally obtained  some  ivory  along  its  border,  and  re- 
ported it  to  be  a fertile  and  populous  region ; but  few  of 
them  had  ever  visited  even  its  frontier.  Fifteen  days’ 
march  westward  from  Uguhha  brought  him  to  Bam- 
barre,  the  first  important  station  in  Manyuema,  Here 
he  was  detained  nearly  six  months  by  ulcers  in  ^et. 
Once  more  able  to  travel  he  turned  northward,  and 
soon  reached  a broad,  sluggish  stream  called  the  Luala- 
ha,  flowing  through  a level  country  in  a most  puzzling 
manner;  now  turning  northward,  now  westward,  now 
southward.  With  patient  persistence  he  traced  it  to 
the  long,  narrow  lake  Kamolondo ; and  then  turning 
back  he  found  it  issued  from  lake  Moero  through  a 
chasm  in  the  mountain  chain  that  skirts  the  lake.  The  tor- 
rent soon  spreads  into  a vast  smoothly  flowing  river, 
which  receives  so  many  affluents  that  Livingstone  noted 
only  the  more  important  ones  on  his  map.  Passing 
down  the  stream,  he  traced  its  course  northward  to 
within  four  degrees  of  the  equator,  when  he  was  forced 
by  the  mutinous  spirit  of  his  men  to  abandon -the  ex- 
ploration and  return  to  Ujiji,  leaving  unexplored  a great 
lake  reported  to  lie  further  north,  and  learning  but  little 
of  the  teeming  myriads  of  the  negro  race  in  this  region 
who  had  never  seen  a white  man. 

Little  did  Dr.  Livingstone  imagine  how  bitter  a 
disappointment  was  in  store  for  him  at  Ujiji.  As  he 
neared  the  place,  he  met  the  faithful  Susi  and  Chuma 
crying  bitterly.  On  inquiring  what  was  the  matter,  he 
was  told  that  Sherif,  the  Arab,  who  had  been  left  in  charge 
of  the  Doctor’s  goods,  had  sold  them  all  for  ivory. 


126  LIVINGSTONE. 

There  was  barely  enough  left  to  support  him  ahd  his 
men  for  one  month ; then  they  must  beg  from  the  Arabs, 
How  was  he  ever  to  reach  the  coast  again,  much  lesv- 
push  forward  his  explorations,  as  he  hoped  to  do? 
True,  he  expected  in  some  way  to  secure  the  stores  he 
had  left  at  Unyanyembe ; but  might  they  not  also  haw 
been  plundered  in  his  absence  ? Such  was  his  almost 
hopeless  condition,  when  Stanley  arrived.  Surprised 
he  was  to  see  another  white  man  in  that  wild  region,  his 
astonishment  was  still  greater  upon  learning  that  the 
young  American  had  been  sent  expressly  to  seek  for 
him,  and  to  aid  him,  if  need  be.  He  had  had  no 
appetite  for  weeks,  but  now  he  ate  like  a famished  man, 
often  repeating,  “You  have  brought  me  new  life — you 
have  brought  me  new  life.”  As  he  saw  the  huge  porta- 
ble bath-tub  which  Stanley  carried  about  with  him,  and 
noticed  the  neat  and  home-like  table  service,  and  the 
careful  attendance  of  Stanley’s  ebony  Ganymedes,  he 
thought,  “ Well,  this  is  a most  luxurious  traveler,  and 
not  a poor,  plundered  fellow  at  his  wit’s  end,  like  my- 
self.” 

Thus  opened  the  four  months’  association  of  the 
two  great  travelers  at  Ujiji.  Insignificant  as  it  may 
appear  to  many,  this  companionship  was  destined  to 
play  an  important  part  in  the  history  of  Africa,  and 
thereby  directly  influence  the  future  of  the  civilized 
world.  Stanley  had  been  taught,  in  the  first  place,  a 
lesson  in  providence.  Had  he  proceeded  at  once  upon 
his  search  for  Livingstone  upon  receiving  his  commis- 
sion from  Mr.  Bennett,  he  would,  on  reaching  Ujiji, 
have  found  that  the  Doctor  was  far  away  up  the  Luala- 
ba.  He  might  have  pursued  him  into  Manyuema,  but 
there  would  have  been  small  probability  of  overtaking 
him  ere  his  return  to  Ujiji,  if  at  all:  and  his  own  stores 


GRANARY , LAKE  TANGANYIKA. 


128 


LIVINGSTONE. 


would  have  been  too  nearly  exhausted  to  allow  of  his 
rendering  the  Doctor  any  material  assistance.  While 
Stanley  was  leisurely  journeying  through  various  orien- 
tal countries  on  his  way  to  Zanzibar,  Livingstone  was 
making  interesting  and  valuable  discoveries  west  of  the 
Tanganyika.  And  had  Stanley  not  been  delayed  at 
Unyanyembe  by  the  war  between  the  Arabs  and  Miram- 
bo,  he  would  have  reached  Ujiji  three  months  before 
Livingstone,  and  would  most  probably  have  not  fallen 
in  with  him  at  all. 

The  best  fruit  of  the  companionship  was  the  vast 
influence  for  good  which  the  Doctor  exerted  over  Stan- 
ley. The  latter  had  heard  much  that  was  derogatory  to 
the  Doctor,  but  personal  acquaintance  satisfied  him 
that  Livingstone  had  been  grossly  misrepresented ; and 
he  enthusiastically  asserts  that  while  the  Doctor  was  not 
an  angel,  “ he  approached  as  near  to  that  being  as  the 
nature  of  a living  man  will  allow.”  Again  he  exclaims, 
“ You  may  take  any  point  in  Doctor  Livingstone’s 
character,  and  analyze  it  carefully,  and  I would  chal- 
lenge any  man  to  find  a fault  in  it.  But  he  recognized 
that  the  Doctor’s  religion  was  the  chief  factor  in  perfect- 
ing that  character ; for  without  it,  he  concludes  that  his 
ardent  temperament,  his  enthusiasm,  high  spirit,  and 
courage,  must  have  rendered  him  uncompanionable,  and 
a hard  master.  Livingstone’s  religion  was  not  ostenta- 
tious or  noisy,  but  quiet  and  practical.  Even  the  nar- 
row and  bigoted  Moslems  soon  came  to  respect  and 
esteem  him,  and  ceased  their  efforts  to  thwart  him. 
Every  Sunday  he  would  gather  his  little  flock  and  ex- 
pound a chapter  to  them  from  the  Bible,  and  pray.  He 
was  extremely  patient  and  persevering,  and  these  qual- 
ities, combined  with  his  strong  constitution  and  tem- 
perate habits,  enabled  him  to  withstand  the  trying 


LIVINGSTONE. 


129 


climate  of  Africa  far  better  than  an  ordinary  man.  All 
these  traits  were  carefully  noted  by  the  keen-eyed  Amer- 
ican reporter.  What  their  influence  was  Stanley  himself 
may  tell.  In  conversation  with  a reporter  in  America, 
he  said : “ I have  been  in  Africa  for  seventeen  years,  and 
I have  never  met  a man  who  would  kill  me  if  I folded 
my  hands.  What  I want,  and  what  I have  been  en- 
deavoring to  ask  for  the  poor  Africans,  has  been  the 
good  offices  of  Christians,  ever  since  Livingstone  taught 
me,  during  those  four  months  I was  with  him.  In  1871 
I went  to  him  as  prejudiced  as  the  biggest  atheist  in 
London.  I was  out  there  away  from  a worldly  world. 
I saw  this  solitary  old  man  there,  and  asked  myself, 
4 Why  on  earth  does  he  stop  here  ? Is  he  cracked,  or 
what  is  it  that  inspires  him?  ’ For  months  after  we  met 
I found  myself  listening  to  him,  and  wondering  at  the 
old  man  carrying  out  all  that  was  said  in  the  Bible. 
Little  by  little  his  sympathy  for  others  became  conta- 
gious ; mine  was  aroused.  Seeing  his  piety,  his  gentle- 
ness ; his  zeal,  his  earnestness,  and  how  quietly  he  went 
about  his  business,  I was  converted  by  him,  although  he 
had  not  tried  to  do  it.” 


CHAPTER  XI. 


STANLEY  WITH  LIVINGSTONE. 


WEAVING  rested  a few  days  at  Ujiji,  Stanley  and 
I Livingstone  set  out  in  a canoe,  kindly  loaned 
them  by  the  Arab,  Said  bin  Majid,  to  explore 
the  northern  half  of  Lake  Tanganyika,  a thing  Burton 
had  been  defeated  in  by  employing  Ujijians.  Stanley 
and  the  Doctor  manned  the  boat  with  their  own  men, 
and  set  out  northward  from  Ujiji,  along  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  lake.  The  point  of  chief  interest  to  be 
settled  was  whether  the  Busizi  river,  of  which  Speke 
and  Burton  had  heard  much,  really  flowed  to  or  from 
the  lake.  Their  voyage,  save  for  an  attempt  or  two 
by  sneak-thieves,  was  entirely  uneventful,  yet  by  no 
means  tedious.  The  scenery  was  exceedingly  beautiful ; 
the  land  was  fertile;  the  lake  teemed  with  fish  and 
various  waterfowl.  The  mountain  ranges  added  to  the 
beauty  of  the  scene,  and  reminded  Stanley  of  some 
American  landscapes.  The  entire  coast  was  dotted  with 
little  fishing  hamlets,  whose  people  lived  in  ease  and 
comparative  idleness.  Soundings  showed  the  lake  to 
be  very  deep.  At  one  place  1800  feet  was  found  to  he 
the  depth. 

The  natives  were  in  the  main  friendly,  but  at  one 
or  two  places  hostile  demonstrations  were  made.  Near 
the  north  end  a Mgwana  was  met,  who  pompously  in- 

(130) 


STANLEY  WITH  LIVINGSTONE. 


131 


formed  them  that  the  Rusizi  flowed  out  of  the  lake  to- 
ward Uganda,  and  seemed  to  think  it  unnecessary  for  the 
party  to  go  farther.  His  word  was  sufficient,  he  thought. 
But  the  chief  of  the  village  was  as  sure  that  the  Rusizi 
flowed  into  the  lake.  Moral: — The  African  will  tell 
y;€  what  he  thinks  you  wish  to  hear.  On  finally  reach- 
ing the  head  of  the  lake,  it  was  found  to  terminate  in 
seven  bays,  and  into  the  largest  of  these  the  Rusizi,  a 
comparatively  unimportant  stream,  emptied  through 
three  mouths.  It  abounded  in  crocodiles,  but  had  no 
hippopotami : thus  showing  it  was  shallow. 

The  Tanganyika  had  no  outlet  to  the  north.  The 
party  turned  back  to  Ujiji,  by  the  western  shore  of  the 
lake. 

On  the  way  they  fell  in  with  a new  specimen  of 
African  knavery.  Landing  at  a village  by  Cape 
Luvemba,  the  travelers,  while  taking  an  afternoon  nap, 
were  aroused  by  the  clamor  of  angry  voices.  It  seems 
that  the  natives  had  a grudge  against  the  Arabs  for 
killing  one  of  their  number  who  had  intruded  on  an  Arab 
harem ; and  they  persisted  in  pronouncing  Stanley  and 
Livingstone  to  be  Arabs,  and  proposed  to  deal  with 
them  accordingly.  When,  by  dint  of  the  Doctor’s  patience 
and  suavity,  peace  seemed  about  to  be  restored,  the  old 
chief  deliberately  slashed  his  leg  with  a spear,  and  then 
exclaimed  that  the  Wangwana  had  wounded  him  ! The 
consequent  tumult  was  quelled  by  an  old  woman  with  a 
knob-stick  and  sharp  tongue — a fit  ending  for  the  silly 
fuss.  The  travelers  took  advantage  of  the  temporary 
quiet  to  leave  the  place,  and  three  days  later,  having 
crossed  the  lake,  they  reached  Ujiji.  The  trip  had  oc- 
cupied twenty-eight  days. 

After  a short  rest  the  two  travelers  set  out  for 
(Jnyanyemb©.  Livingstone  could  uot  be  induced  to 


VIEW  ON  LAKE  TANGANYIKA 


STANLEY  WITH  LIVINGSTONE. 


138 


return  home  for  even  a very  brief  period.  He  was  bent 
on  finishing  his  work,  believing  the  Lualaba  to  be  iden- 
tical with  the  Nile.  Stanley  suggested  to  him  various 
plans,  and  he  finally  decided  to  return  to  Unyanyembe, 
there  receive  his  own  goods,  and  such  as  Stanley  could 
turn  over  to  him,  and  after  a brief  rest  to  return  to 
Ujiji,  cross  over  and  push  into  Manyuema,  and  com- 
plete his  task,  which  he  was  confident  of  doing  in  a 
year  and  a half.  The  men  who  had  forced  him  to 
abandon  his  expedition  when  at  Nyangwe  were  now 
deprived  of  their  weapons,  the  Enfield  rifles  the  Bom- 
bay government  had  given  Livingstone. 

For  the  return  journey  Stanley  sketched  a route 
before  untraveled,  which  Livingstone  approved.  It  was 
a longer  one,  but  it  avoided  all  the  blackmailing  and 
greedy  chieftains,  thus  saving  for  the  Doctor  all  the 
goods  that  would  otherwise  be  paid  as  tribute.  December 
13th  to  December  27th  was  spent  as  a period  of  rest 
and  preparation. 

Coasting  south  from  Ujiji,  a distance  of  seventy 
miles  in  a straight  line,  the  party  was  to  strike  east- 
ward for  the  village  of  Mrera ; thence  to  follow  the  road 
by  which  Stanley  came  from  Unyanyembe.  The  Wang- 
wana  were  greatly  elated  at  the  scheme,  and  entered 
into  it  with  enthusiasm.  All  were  merry.  The  boat- 
man sang : 

■4‘  We  have  given  the  Wahha  the  slip!  ha,  ha! 

The  Wavinza  will  trouble  us  no  more!  oh,  oh! 

Mionvu  can  get  no  more  cloth  from  us ! hy,  hy ! 

And  Kiala  will  see  us  no  more — never  more!  he,  he!” 

The  journey  to  Mrera  was  accomplished  in  safety, 
the  only  inconvenience  being  a scarci+y  of  food  in 
crossing  an  uninhabited  jungle.  Stanley  had  one  or 
two  attacks  of  fever,  and  Livingstone  was  footsore. 


184 


STANLEY  WITH  LIVINGSTONE. 


Otherwise  the  party  was  in  good  condition,  and  the 
natives  marveled  that  the  compass  and  sextant  could 
tell  the  white  men  when  to  leave  the  lake,  and  what 
course  to  pursue  to  reach  Mrera. 

Twice  on  the  way  from  Mrera,  Stanley  fell  in  with 
lions,  but  the  cowardly  beasts  fled  at  sight  of  man. 
Lions  are  dangerous  only  at  night,  unless  attacked; 
when  they  can  defend  themselves  with  much  fury. 

At  Ugunda,  four  days  before  reaching  Unyanyembe, 
the  caravan  was  met  by  Sarmian  and  Uledi  Manwa 
Sera,  the  two  soldiers  Stanley  had  sent  to  Zanzibar 
to  bring  medicine  for  Shaw.  The  sturdy  fellows  had 
performed  their  commission,  and  had  also  captured 
one  of  Stanley’s  deserters,  and  brought  him  back  in 
slave-forks.  They  brought  a considerable  quantity  of 
mail  for  the  travelers,  but  the  medicine  came  too  late ; 
Shaw  had  died  some  time  before.  The  newspapers 
were  a subject  of  great  wonder  to  the  natives,  who 
marveled  at  the  white  man’s  news.  Some  of  them 
thought  the  huge  sheets  merely  ornamental. 

After  reaching  Unyanyembe,  matters  were  soon 
arranged.  But  little  of  all  the  Doctor’s  stores  there  were 
available  for  the  region  whither  he  was  bound,  but 
Stanley  was  able  to  turn  over  to  him  sufficient  stores  to 
last  him  near  two  years.  The  Arab,  El  Wali,  had  rifled 
the  Doctor’s  property  of  much  of  the  most  valuable  goods. 

Livingstone,  finding  he  had  about  seventy  load 
of  goods,  commissioned  Stanley  to  procure  him  a few 
necessary  items  in  Zanzibar,  and  to  send  him  fifty 
freemen  as  carriers.  He  had  proved  by  bitter  expe- 
rience, that  slaves  were  worthless.  All  this  Stanley 
was  glad  to  undertake,  though  it  necessarily  frustrated 
his  design  of  going  down  the  Nile  and  obtaining  news 
of  Baker’s  expedition? 


STANLEY  WITH  LIVINGSTONE* 


185 


Ere  the  middle  of  March,  all  arrangements  were 
complete.  Livingstone’s  letters  and  dispatches  were 
written.  The  natives  assembled  on  the  12th,  at  night, 
and  gave  a farewell  song  and  dance  to  the  white  man 
who  was  going  home.  The  13th  of  March  was  a day  of 
sadness  to  both  travelers.  Stanley  had  become  an  ar- 
dent admirer  of  Livingstone ; and  the  latter  said  that 
when  Stanley  left,  the  house  would  look  as  if  a death 
had  taken  place.  Fellow-feeling  is  far  stronger  between 
white  men  in  the  midst  of  savage  tribes.  But  the  time 
for  parting  was  at  hand.  On  the  morning  of  the  14th 
the  Doctor  went  a little  way  upon  the  road  with  the 
starting  caravan.  With  choking  voice  and  moist  eyes, 
the  Doctor  and  his  three  faithful  servants,  Susi,  Chuma 
and  Hamoyda,  shook  hands  with  the  young  American, 
and  Livingstone  turned  his  back  forever  upon  the  civil- 
ized world.  A moment  more,  and  a turn  in  the  path 
hid  him  from  Stanley’s  sight.  The  last  link  of  the  lone 
spaces  was  gone. 

Wearily  the  caravan  marched,  homeward  bound,- ■ 
meeting  with  no  unusual  occurrence  till  they  reached 
the  Ugogo  territory.  Here  the  rulers  got  it  into  their 
heads  that  Stanley  proposed  to  pass  through  without 
paying  the  accustomed  tribute.  War  seemed  inevitable, 
but  again  Stanley  escaped  by  a small  majority.  Travel- 
ing onward  through  flooded  districts,  swimming  swollen 
streams,  struggling  through  swamps,  worn,  weary,  but 
triumphant,  at  last  he  reached  Zanzibar.  Happy  in 
the  thought  of  success,  happier  still  in  anticipation  of 
the  joy  he  believed  his  tidings  would  bring  to  others,  his 
heart  was  full  of  good-will  to  all  mankind.  But  all  his 
joy  was  turned  to  gall  on  opening  the  papers  at  Zanzi- 
bar Instead  of  kind  words,  he  found  suspicion,  jeal- 
ousy and  detraction,  and  even  charges  that  his  story  of 


m 


« kmm  wm  mmmm> 


finding  Livingstone  was  a fabrication.  Stunned  and 
deeply  hurt  at  this  undeserved  treatment,  no  wonder  he 
wrote  bitter  words  of  his  critics.  Certain  “ easy- chair 
geographers  ” especially  aroused  his  ire ; but  nothing 
was  so  incomprehensible  to  him  as  the  spirit  of  jealousy 
among  Englishmen.  One  of  the  officers  of  a relief  expe- 
dition which  had  been  organized  to  aid  Livingstone,  and 
which  he  met  at  Bagamoyo,  told  him  that  his  people  did 
not  want  him  to  succeed,  because  he  was  an  American ! 
Stanley  could  not  see  why  his  nationality  should  so  stir 
their  jealousy.  Stung  by  the  coolness,  incredulity  and 
hostility  of  much  of  the  secular  press,  it  is  small  won- 
der that  he  vented  his  opinions  freely,  and  in  his  haste 
said  “ all  men  were  liars.”  Even  the  Koyal  Geograph- 
ical Society  was  regarded  by  him  with  suspicion,  but  in 
the  end  he  confessed  they  had  dealt  fairly  with  him. 

As  the  news  Stanley  brought  rendered  useless  the 
relief  expedition,  it  was  abandoned.  Stanley  promptly 
executed  the  commission  with  which  Livingstone  had 
entrusted  him,  and  saw  the  carriers  and  goods  safely  off 
for  Unyanyembe.  This,  he  thought,  ended  forever  his 
travels  in  Central  Africa. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 


'WO  years  have  passed.  The  Ashantee  war  is  over. 
Stanley  turns  his  face  toward  England.  There 
conies  a suspicion,  a rumor,  an  official  report. 
The  great  explorer,  Livingstone,  had  fallen  at  his 
post,  his  work  unfinished.  Of  that  strange  journey  of 
his  faithful  followers  to  the  coast,  bearing  the  embalmed 
body  of  their  great  master,  the  world  has  heard  again 
and  again.  Shameful  their  neglect  by  those  who  should 
have  appreciated  their  deed.  Yet  they  have  their  re- 
ward. Never,  while  Livingstone  is  remembered,  shall 
Susi,  Chuma,  and  their  companions,  be  forgotten. 

Stanley  was  burning  with  anxiety  to  follow  up  the 
work  of  Speke,  Burton,  and  Livingstone,  and  complete 
it.  The  source  of  the  Nile  was  unsettled  till  definite 
knowledge  could  be  had  of  the  Victoria  Nyanza.  Was 
it  one  vast  lake,  or  five  smaller  ones?  The  outlet  of 
the  Tanganyika  was  unknown.  Livingstone’s  Lualaba 
— was  it  the  Nile  ? or,  as  Cameron  suggested,  was  it  the 
Congo  ? and  if  the  latter,  did  it  flow  directly  from  Ny- 
angwe,  where  Livingstone  had  left  it?  Such  were  the 
more  important  geographical  questions  to  be  deter- 
mined. 

Livingstone  was  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey. 
Stanley  was  one  of  the  pall-bearers.  Hastily  finishing 
his  book  ‘‘Coomassie  and  Magdala,”  he  spent  some 

(137) 


AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 


13S 

/ time  in  reading  works  upon  Africa.  When  the  New 
York  Herald  and  the  London  Telegraph  decided  to  send 
him  out,  at  the  head  of  an  Anglo-American  expedition, 
to  complete  the  work  of  exploration,  he  was  ready  in 
two  weeks  to  start  from  England.  Scores  of  applicants 
wished  to  join  his  expedition:  but  only  three  were  ac- 
cepted— Frank  and  Edward  Pocock,  two  able  young 
English  river-men,  and  a clerk  named  Frederick  Barker, 
who  was  passionately  anxious  to  visit  Africa.  With 
these  assistants  he  landed  in  Zanzibar  in  September, 
1874,  twenty-eight  months  after  he  had  left  it  on  his 
return  from  his  former  tour. 

Repairing  to  the  same  merchant,  a Hindoo  million- 
aire, he  procured  a vast  store  of  supplies,  which  were 
packed  in  rather  smaller  loads  than  usual,  that  the 
caravan  might  travel  more  rapidly.  The  total  was  ovei 
18,000  pounds,  requiring  300  pagazis,  besides  a good 
reserve  force,  and  a guard  of  soldiers.  The  recruits 
were  enlisted  for  two  years.  Not  a few  of  Stanley’s  old 
force  were  glad  to  enroll  again  in  his  service.  Having 
made  all  arrangements,  mustered  his  forces,  and  bidden 
good-bye  to  his  civilized  friends  of  Zanzibar,  he  turned 
toward  the  Land  of  Darkness,  little  dreaming  what 
hardships  and  perils  he  would  meet  in  the  days  to 
come. 

Some  little  trouble  was  experienced  at  Bagamoyo, 
because  certain  of  his  wayward  men  must  needs  go  on 
a final  “ bust,  ” and  get  themselves  into  trouble  with  the 
authorities.  Having  freed  them  from  the  clutches  of 
the  law,  he  collected  his  bands,  and  on  the  17th  of  No- 
vember started  inland  with  356  men,  a few  more  being 
expected  to  overtake  the  troop  shortly.  The  route  chos- 
en was  parallel  to  those  pursued  by  most  travelers, 
but  about  thirty  miles  north  of  any  of  them. 


AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 


139 


No  special  adventures  were  met  with  in  the  early 
part  of  the  journey.  Ugogo  was  reached  in  five  weeks. 
Along  the  route  there  was  a scarcity  of  food,  and  the 
rainy  season  aided  in  rendering  the  party  miserable. 
Stanley  was  reduced  in  weight  forty-six  pounds  in 
thirty-eight  days’  travel.  Such  scanty  supplies  as  they 
could  procure  were  at  enormous  prices.  Aside  from 
these  hardships,  the  constant  haggling  for  right  of  way 
with  blackmailing  chiefs,  the  perpetual  annoyance  given 
by  deserters,  sluggards,  and  petty  thieves,  the  trouble 
with  the  sick — to  record  all  of  which  cases  separately 
would  require  a volume — no  unusual  obstacles  were  en- 
countered till  they  struck  off  from  the  regular  route  of 
caravans  going  west,  and  entered  an  entirely  new 
country,  and  encountered  a new  race  of  people.  Reach- 
ing the  borders  of  Usandawa,  he  turned  to  the  north- 
west, and  entered  Ukimbu  on  its  eastern  extremity. 
Here  the  guides  he  had  hired  in  Ugogo  to  conduct  him 
to  Iramba,  deserted  him.  Securing  new  guides,  he 
traveled  on  for  two  days,  when  they  also  deserted. 
This  left  Stanley  one  morning  at  the  edge  of  a vast,  un- 
known wilderness,  without  any  guide.  Relying  on  the 
statement  of  the  guides,  that  three  days  would  bring 
them  to  an  abundance  of  food,  Stanley  had  only  pur- 
chased enough  for  two  days.  Starting  forward,  with 
his  compass  for  a guide,  he  soon  came  into  a very  thick 
jungle,  where  they  of  necessity  made  very  slow  progress. 
Instead  of  coming  to  a village,  however,  they  were  forced 
to  encamp  in  the  wilderness,  with  a very  limited  supply 
of  food.  They  now  wandered  on  some  days  with- 
out food  or  water.  Several  men,  overcome  by  pri- 
vation and  fatigue,  died  by  the  way.  At  last  they 
brought  up  at  a small  village,  containing  only  four  huts. 
Here  they  expected  succor.  Alas ! the  inhabitants  could 


m m&Qm  umaifti 


not  spare  a single  grain ! In  this  crisis,  Stanley,  seeing 
the  caravan  could  march  no  longer  in  their  weak  con- 
dition, sent  forty  of  the  strongest  and  most  faithful  men 
forward  to  secure  food.  As  near  as  he  could  learn,  they 
were  still  thirty  miles  from  the  nearest  point  where  they 
could  procure  relief.  Though  pinched  with  hunger 
themselves,  the  brave  forty  set  forward  to  reach  Suna 
that  night.  In  their  absence,  some  of  the  men,  wan- 
dering about,  found  two  lion  whelps,  which  they  brought 
in.  Stanley  examined  his  medical  stores,  and,  finding 
a good  stock  of  oatmeal,  emptied  a sheet-iron  trunk  of 
its  contents,  and  proceeded  to  make  a big  trunkful  of 
gruel.  The  people,  young  and  old,  gathered  round, 
heaping  fuel  about,  to  make  it  boil  the  quicker.  “ How 
eagerly  they  watched  it,  lest  some  calamity  should  hap- 
pen, and  clamored,  when  it  was  ready,  for  their  share ; 
and  how  inexpressibly  satisfied  they  seemed  as  they 
tried  to  make  the  most  of  what  they  received,  and  with 
what  fervor  they  thanked  God  for  His  mercies ! ” 

The  next  morning,  the  forty  returned,  bringing  just 
enough  millet-seed  to  give  each  man  one  good  meal. 
The  people  devoured  this,  and  then  asked  to  be  led  on 
at  once,  to  which  Stanley  gladly  assented,  and  set  forth, 
reaching  Suna  in  the  morning. 

Here  trouble  seemed  imminent.  The  natives  were 
not  disposed  to  be  friendly,  and  Stanley  discovered  that 
one  of  his  men  had  stolen  some  chickens.  The  chick- 
ens being  paid  for,  and  the  thief  properly  punished, 
harmony  was  restored.  These  people,  the  Warimi, 
were  the  finest  in  physique  that  Stanley  had  seen 
since  leaving  the  sea.  They  are  tall,  robust,  manly  in 
bearing,  possess  very  regular  features,  go  stark  naked, 
and  are  not  troubled  by  any  notions  of  modesty.  They 


m mmm  mrnmm* 


141 


have  no  chief,  but  are  guided  by  the  counsels  of  the 
elders  of  families. 

The  situation  being  deplorable,  a halt  of  four  days 
was  made  at  Suna.  Over  thirty  men  were  now  ailing. 
On  the  day  of  their  arrival  at  Suna,  Edward  Pocock  was 
taken  very  ill.  It  soon  became  apparent  that  it  was  an 
unmistakable  case  of  the  dreadful  typhus.  To  make 
matters  worse,  the  Warimi  evinced  such  unmistakable 
signs  of  hostility  that  it  was  necessary  to  move  on,  and 
carry  the  sick.  Unspeakably  worn  and  weary,  almost 
without  hope,  the  little  band  went  slowly  forward.  At 
last  they  reached  Cliwyu,  four  hundred  miles  from  the 
sea.  Pocock  grew  worse  rapidly.  We  extract  the  fol- 
lowing from  Stanley’s  narrative:  “Edward  Pocock 

was  reported  by  Frank  to  have  muttered  in  his  deli- 
rium, ‘ The  master  has  just  hit  it,’  and  to  have  said 
that  he  felt  very  comfortable.  On  arriving  at  the 
camp,  one  of  the  boat  sections  was  elevated  above  him, 
as  a protection  from  the  sun,  until  a cool  grass,  hut 
could  be  erected.  A stockade  was  being  constructed,  by 
piling  a thick  fence  of  brushwood  around  a spacious 
circle,  along  which  grass  huts  were  fast  being  built, 
when  Frank  entreated  me  to  step  to  his  brother’s  side. 
I sprang  to  him — only  in  time,  however,  to  see  him  take 
his  last  gasp.  Frank  gave  a shriek  of  sorrow  when  he 
realized  that  the  spirit  of  his  brother  had  fled  forever, 
and,  removing  the  boat  section,  bent  over  the  corpse, 
and  wailed  in  a paroxysm  of  agony. 

“We  excavated  a grave,  four  feet  deep,  at  the  foot 
of  a hoary  acacia,  with  wide  spreading  branches,  and 
on  its  ancient  trunk  Frank  engraved  a deep  cross,  the 
emblem  of  the  faith  we  all  believe  in,  and,  when  folded 
in  its  shroud,  we  laid  the  body  in  its  final  resting-place, 
during  the  last  gleams  of  sunset.  We  read  the  beauti- 


AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 


143 


ful  prayers  of  the  church  service  for  the  dead,  and,  out 
of  respect  for  the  departed,  whose  frank,  sociable,  and 
winning  manners  had  won  their  friendship  and  regard, 
nearly  all  the  Wangwana  were  present,  to  pay  a last 
tribute  of  sighs  to  poor  Edward  Pocock. 

“ When  the  last  solemn  prayer  had  been  read,  we 
retired  to  our  tents,  to  brood  in  sorrow  and  silence  over 
our  irreparable  loss.” 

An  uneventful  march  of  some  days  brought  them  to 
Izanjeh.  On  leaving  here,  one  man,  who  was  afflicted 
with  asthma,  was  permitted  to  lag  behind,  and  was  set 
upon  and  murdered.  As  it  was  impossible  to  discover 
die  murderer,  his  death  could  not  be  avenged. 

Camping  at  Vinyata,  it  was  discovered  that  several 
bales  were  wet.  To  save  the  cloth,  it  was  necessary  to 
dry  them.  Accordingly,  the  rich  goods  were  spread  out 
in  the  sun,  and,  being  seen  by  the  natives,  aroused  their 
greed.  However,  the  day  passed  quietly,  and,  the  na- 
tives appearing  very  friendly,  Stanley  felt  no  uneasiness. 
The  next  morning,  hearing  shouts  and  war-cries,  he 
supposed  they  were  about  to  go  to  war  with  some  hostile 
tribe,  till  their  demonstrations  undeceived  him.  Send- 
ing out  messengers,  word  was  brought  him  that  the 
natives  demanded  payment  for  some  milk  they  claimed 
had  been  stolen.  Wishing  to  avoid  any  serious  trouble, 
Stanley  paid  their  price,  and  they  went  away,  appar- 
ently satisfied.  Soon  after,  one  of  his  men  came  into 
camp,  badly  wounded,  and  reported  to  Stanley  that  they 
had  attacked  and  wounded  him,  and  killed  his  brother. 
Still  Stanley  feared  summary  punishment  would  be  a 
rash  thing  He,  however,  ordered  the  defenses  strength- 
ened, and  the  stores  of  ammunition  opened,  and  the 
men  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness. 

They  had  not  long  to  wait.  The  savages  soon  came 


144 


AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 


on,  and,  with  yells  of  triumph,  discharged  a volley  of 
arrows.  Making  no  sign,  Stanley’s  forces  waited  till 
the  enemy  were  within  thirty  yards,  when  they  charged 
out,  and  drove  the  savages  back  about  two  hundred 
yards.  Again  they  advanced,  when  fire  was  opened 
on  them,  and  at  the  end  of  an  hour,  they  were  driven 
away.  Every  effort  was  then  made  to  fortify  the  camp 
strongly.  The  next  day  the  attack  was  renewed,  and 
again  they  were  repulsed.  Stanley  now  determined  to 
teach  them  a lesson ; so  he  ordered  his  troops  to  follow 
them  up,  and  burn  their  villages.  He  thus  secured 
abundance  of  provisions,  besides  subduing  the  natives. 
He  was  molested  no  more.  The  battle  resulted  in 
twenty-four  of  Stanley’s  men  killed,  and  four  wounded — 
a heavy  loss  thus  early  in  the  expedition ; twenty-five 
more  were  sick,  and  some  baggage  had  to  be  burned, 
and  some  chiefs  temporarily  detailed  to  carry  goods. 
The  entire  personnel  of  the  expedition  now  numbered 
240  souls,  including  women  and  children. 

Within  a week,  however,  friendly  districts  were 
reached,  and  reinforcements  obtained.  Game  abounded 
in  almost  fabulous  quantities.  Within  three  days, 
Stanley  shot  six  zebras,  a giraffe,  two  'gnus,  a 
buffalo,  and  an  antelope,  besides  a number  of  water- 
fowl  and  other  birds.  Once  more  there  was  peace  and 
plenty. 

Then  the  party  entered  Iramba,  a district  but  little 
more  friendly  than  that  of  Urimi.  Mirambo  was  their 
terror,  and  again  and  again  Stanley  was  mistaken  for 
that  chief.  Indeed,  Mirambo  was  fighting  at  one  time 
but  a day’s  march  from  him. 

Leaving  Iratnba,  he  entered  Usukuma,  which  was 
well  peopled,  and  had  an  abundance  of  cattle.  On  the 
tenth  of  February,  they  reached  the  hospitable  village 


AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 


145 


of  Mombiti.  Here  an  abundance  of  provisions  was 
purchased,  and  for  three  days  the  weary  caravan  rested, 
and  enjoyed  the  fat  of  the  land  to  their  hearts’  content. 
Here  a fresh  troop  of  porters  was  engaged,  and  in  excel- 
lent spirits,  bearing  a stock  of  provisions  for  an  emerg- 
ency, again  they  set  forth,  in  the  direction  of  the 
Monangah  valley,  and  Usiha. 

During  the  second  day’s  march  from  Mombiti, 
Gardner,  one  of  the  faithful  followers  of  Livingstone  on 
his  last  journey,  died  of  typhoid  fever,  and  was  buried 
at  the  junction  of  two  roads.  In  his  honor,  the  place 
was  named  “ Camp  Gardner.  ” 

Prom  this  place,  Stanley  marched  on  over  a hilly, 
broken  country,  till  he  came  to  Usiha,  a beautiful,  pas- 
toral country,  terminating  at  the  Victoria  Nyanza. 
Here  they  were  treated  with  great  hospitality,  and  were 
plentifully  supplied  with  the  best  of  the  land.  They 
were  treated  to  an  amusing  Mirambo  scare,  however,  as 
they  entered  the  district.  One  of  the  donkeys  set  up  a 
hideous  braying:  and,  as  Mirambo  was  known  to  pos- 
sess such  a strange  creature,  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
they  were  convinced  that  the  ass  was  not  a member  of 
Mirambo’s  band.  Such  is  the  suspicion  occasioned  by  an 
African  marauder,  that  the  starting  of  a cow  at  the 
moving  of  some  beast  in  the  bush,  readily  causes 
an  outcry  of  “ Mirambo  ! Mirambo  ! ” 

On  the  27th  of  February,  the  expedition  came  in 
sight  of  the  great  Victoria  Nyanza.  The  view  invigo- 
rated all.  The  white  men  were  filled  with  enthusiasm  • 
the  pagazis,  rejoiced  at  the  prospect  of  rest  and  plenty, 
burst  into  a wild  extempore  chant.  And  here  again  our 
wanderers  were  for  the  nonce  believed  to  be  Mirambo’s 
marauders.  Finally,  after  having  traveled  720  miles,  at 
an  average  of  seven  miles  a day,  Kagehyi,  on  the  shores  of 


— 


KAGEHY1. 


AN  AFRICAN  EXPLORER. 


147 


the  “ Great  Lake,”  was  reached.  At  this  point  Stanley 
halted  a long  time,  to  recruit  the  caravan,  make  obser- 
vations, write  news  to  the  papers  that  had  sent  him  out, 
and  transact  such  other  business  as  might  legally  come 
before  him,  under  the  usual  African  restrictions. 


CHAPTER  XIII, 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


•HE  days  at  Kagehyi  were  a halcyon  period  to  the 
greater  portion  of  the  Caravan.  Stanley,  though 
strict,  decisive  and  stern,  was  yet  liberal  with 
his  men,  and  gave  handsome  rewards  to  each,  according 
to  service  and  rank.  Such  conduct  obtained  him  the 
sobriquet  of  “ The  White  Man  with  the  Open  Hand.” 
Yet  he  himself  was  not  at  rest.  His  time  was  fully 
occupied  in  taking  observations,  and  in  planning  a trip 
around  the  lake,  to  settle  the  question  of  its  size  and 
form. 

Prrnfl^  Kaduma,  chieftain  at  Kagehyi,  manifested 
great  friendliness,  and  a disposition  to  aid  and  accom- 
pany Stanley ; but  he  was  such  an  inveterate  toper,  and 
so  dilatory,  that  Stanley  saw  it  was  a waste  of  time  to 
wait  on  him.  The  Prince,  moreover,  gave  such  a mar- 
velous account  of  the  size  of  the  lake,  the  strange,  tailed 
*^en,  the  cannibals,  the  nations  with  war-dogs,  and  such 
curiosities  that  none  of  Stanley’s  men  would  volunteer 
jo  accompany  him,  and  he  was  compelled  to  select  a 
crew  and  command  them  to  go.  In  a few  days  the  boat 
which  had  been  brought  from  London  in  sections,  was 
fitted  together  and  provisioned  for  the  voyage,  and  on 
the  8th  of  March,  1875,  the  party  was  sailing  eastward 
along  the  southern  shore  of  the  great  bay  which  Stanley 
christened  “ Speke  Gulf.” 


/•M** 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


141 


Nearly  two- thirds  of  the  circumnavigation  was  per- 
formed in  twenty-six  days,  without  any  serious  hin- 
drance. At  but  two  or  three  localities  did  the  natives 
manifest  any  hostility.  Provisions  were  abundant,  and 
the  irregularly  beautiful  scenery  of  the  lake  was  well 
adapted  for  an  earthly  paradise.  On  the  3rd  of  April, 
the  party  was  met  by  a young  chieftain,  named  Ma- 
gassa,  who  had  been  sent  by  Mtesa,  the  king  of  Uganda, 
to  welcome  the  white  man,  and  pilot  him  to  the  king. 
Magassa  was  a fine  specimen  of  youth  “ endued  with  a 
little  brief  authority,”  being  extravagantly  obsequious 
toward  Stanley,  and  very  tyrannical  and  overbearing 
toward  Mtesa’s  subjects. 

Mtesa  was  at  Csavara,  his  hunting  village.  Here 
Stanley  arrived  on  the  5th  of  April,  and  was  received 
with  much  barbaric  pomp.  Stanley  was  rapidly  ques- 
tioned on  every  conceivable  subject  by  the  “ Kabaka,” 
or  king,  and  by  his  officials.  After  an  hour  of  this  sort 
of  exercise,  the  inquisitive  Waganda  decided  that  “ he 
passed and  Stanley  retired,  pleased  at  having  kept  up 
the  credit  of  the  white  man  in  Equatorial  Africa.  Baker 
was  subjected  to  a similar  examination,  when  inUnyoro, 
by  the  inquisitive  people,  who  wished  to  know  if  he 
were  a genuine  white  man,  or  a base  impostor.  Having 
satisfied  themselves  on  that  point,  they  pronounced  him 
to  be  “Speke’s  brother.”  It  must  be  remembered  that 
the  African  regards  the  white  man  as  a walking  ency- 
clopedia ; and  for  the  sake  of  his  race  the  white  travel- 
er must  assume  a virtue,  though  he  have  it  not. 

Mtesa  was  an  anomaly  among  African  chiefs.  He 
was  intelligent  and  desirous  of  progress.  He  had  made 
his  court  a rendezvous  for  Arabs,  traders  and  travelers, 
till  he  had  introduced  not  a few  of  the  arts  and  modes 
of  oiviligssd  nation!,  Stanley  was  en  this  visit 


BAKER  PASSES  EXAMINATION . 


ON  THE  VICTORIA 


151 


ably  surprised  in  him.  He  was  by  far  the  most  power- 
ful and  intelligent  chief  in  Central  Africa,  and  Stanley 
thought  he  saw  in  him  the  best  instrument  for  introduc- 
ing the  religion  of  Christ  into  Equatorial  Africa.  He 
had  already  abandoned  paganism  for  Mohammedanism, 
and  as  the  white  man  was  superior  to  the  Arab,  he  was 
ready  to  concede  that  the  white  man’s  religion  was  better 
than  the  Arab’s.  In  the  ten  days  spent  at  Usavara  and 
the  capital,  Kubaga,  Stanley  endeavored  to  instil  into  his 
mind  the  precepts  of  Christianity.  Mtesa  became  deeply 
interested,  to  such  an  extent  that  all  court  business  was 
dropped,  in  order  that  he  and  his  people  might  hear  the 
teachings  of  4 4 Standee.”  He  requested  Stanley  to  urge 
white  men  to  come  and  dwell  with  him  and  teach  his 
people,  promising  all  things  needful  for  their  support. 
Stanley’s  letters  to  papers  at  home  were  the  chief  factor 
in  bringing  about  the  final  establishment  of  a mission  at 
this  place. 

While  staying  with  Mtesa,  Stanley  was  most  agree- 
ably surprised  by  meeting  a white  traveler.  He  was  a 
Frenchman,  named  Linant  de  Bellefonds.  With  him 
Stanley  formed  a very  pleasant  and  useful  acquaintance. 
M.  de  Bellefonds  being  a Protestant,  as  Mr.  Stanley 
was,  astonished  Mtesa  by  teaching  exactly  the  same 
things  that  he  had  already  been  taught  by  the  Ameri- 
can. He  was  a member  of  the  Gordon  Pasha  expedition. 

Stanley  wished  to  bring  his  entire  force  to  Uganda^ 
and  obtained  a grant  of  thirty  canoes  for  that  purpose ; 
but  Magassa,  who  had  grown  vastly  important  in  the 
past  ten  days,  having  been  made  an  admiral  by  Mtesa, 
was  so  dilatory  that  Stanley  finally  set  sail  with  only 
ten  canoes.  M.  de  Bellefonds  had  proposed  to  remain 
at  Bubaga  till  he  returned,  which  he  expected  to  do  in  a 
month. 


152 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


But  the  latter  part  of  his  journey  was  not  so  pleas- 
'ant  as  the  first.  At  the  outset  he  was  much  annoyed  by 
the  domineering  and  arrogance  of  Magassa.  Having 
“ sat  upon  him”  effectually,  the  young  chieftain  tarried 
behind  a day  to  secure  the  full  quota  of  canoes.  Then 
one  of  his  colonels,  Sentum,  was  left  behind  to  show 
him  which  way  Stanley  had  gone.  A few  hours  after, 
the  other  one  turned  back  suddenly  for  some  unknown 
reason.  Magassa’s  fleet  had  been  seen  once  on  the  hori- 
zon, but  had  not  overtaken  the  white  man.  So  Stanley 
and  his  man  reach  the  great  island  of  Bumbireh  alone. 
Here  they  were  compelled  to  land  for  food,  having  been 
supperless  tha  night  before,  and  in  a cold  rain  the  whole 
night. 

Immediately  the  party  was  surrounded  by  about 
two  hundred  savages,  brandishing  spears,  clubs,  bows  and 
arrows,  and  heavy  stones.  For  a short  time  death 
seemed  inevitable,  but  the  meekness  of  the  party  appar- 
ently won  the  good-will  of  the  king,  Shekka,  and  quiet 
was  restored  for  a time.  The  natives  then  held  a 
“ shauri,”  or  consultation,  and  demanded  tribute  ere 
they  would  sell  food.  It  was  paid.  More  was  de- 
manded; the  oars  were  seized — a grave  blunder  on 
Stanley’s  part — more  tribute  was  paid.  Then  they  drew 
off,  spent  sometime  in  carousing,  and  the  hungry 
travelers  waited.  About  three  p.  m.,  the  hostilities  were 
renewed,  and  Stanley  soon  saw  there  was  no  hope  of  con- 
cluding peace.  Therefore  he  had  recourse  to  strat- 
agem. Sending  one  of  his  men  toward  the  savages, 
apparently  to  carry  presents,  he  ordered  the  rest  of  his 
men  to  launch  the  boat.  As  soon  as  the  natives  saw 
the  ruse,  they  charged  down,  yelling  furiously.  The 
messenger  saved  his  life  by  plunging  head  first  into  the 
lake,  while  Stanley  shot  the  foremost  of  his  pursuers. 


PERILOUS  SITUATION. 


154 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


They  then  drew  up  on  the  shore,  and  began  to  cast 
spears,  but  a few  well  placed  shots  sent  them  to  a more 
respectful  distance.  The  danger  was  now  increased  by 
the  approach  of  two  open-mouthed  hippopotami.  Again 
the  rifle  was  used  to  a decided  advantage,  one  hippopo- 
tamus being  disposed  of  at  each  shot.  The  furious 
savages  launched  some  canoes ; despite  the  heavy  fire  of 
Stanley’s  rifles,  matters  looked  grave.  The  bottom 
boards  of  the  canoes  were  torn  out  to  use  as  paddles. 
No  headway  could  be  made.  The  canoes  rapidly  ap- 
proached, and  Stanley  prepared  for  the  pirates.  This 
he  did  by  loading  his  elephant  rifle  with  explosive  balls. 
Four  shots  killed  five  men,  and  sank  two  of  their  canoes. 
The  remaining  two  went  to  the  assistance  of  their  com- 
rades, and  so  the  danger  passed.  The  bloodthirsty  sav- 
ages called  after  them,  “ Go  and  die  in  the  Nyanza !” 
Escaped  from  the  savages— but  in  what  a plight ! 
Already  twenty-four  hours  without  food;  their  oars  gone, 
and  only  weak  boards  as  rude  paddles ; completely  at 
the  mercy  of  the  winds  and  waves,  they  were  driven  to 
and  fro,  now  this  way,  now  that,  strength  gone,  courage 
going,  hour  by  hour.  Hither  and  thither  they  went  at 
the  mercy  of  the  winds,  till  at  length,  three  days  after 
leaving  Alice  Island,  having  been  seventy-six  hours  with- 
out food,  they  came  to  a small,  uninhabited  island, 
where  they  obtained  relief.  In  commemoration  of  their 
deliverance  Stanley  named  this  island  “ Refuge.” 

They  rested  here  a day  or  two,  and  on  leaving 
reached  a land  of  plenty.  On  setting  out  once  more, 
they  were  seized  by  a terrible  storm,  and  for  a time  it 
seemed  they  would  be  swamped.  But  it  passed,  and  the 
next  day  the  Expedition  reached  the  camp  in  safety. 
Stanley  was  received  with  loud  acclamations  by  the  na- 
tives and  his  friends,  but  his  joy  was  changed  to  grief 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


155 


when  he  was  told  that  Frederick  Barker  had  died  twelve 
days  before.  Of  the  three  white  men  who  had  set  out 
with  Stanley,  only  one  was  left  to  share  his  fortunes. 
We  give  Stanley’s  own  words  as  a tribute  to  the  memory 
of  the  departed: 

“ I missed  young  Barker  very  much.  He  had  begun 
to  endear  himself  to  me  by  his  bright  intelligence  and 
valuable  services.  When  ill,  my  least  wish  was  imme- 
diately gratified;  he  understood  the  least  motion  or  sign. 
He  was  also  a good  writer,  and  kept  the  accounts  of  the 
various  stores,  cloths  and  beads.  He  was  an  admirable 
companion  to  Frank,  and  the  two  young  men  were  good 
company  for  me.  They  had  also  won  the  heart  of  the 
Wangwana  by  their  gentle,  amiable  conduct.  An  oath, 
or  a profane  word,  I seldom  heard  from  either  of  them ; 
and  when  angry,  their  anger  at  the  stupidity  or  insolence 
of  the  people  was  of  the  passive  kind ; they  never  re- 
sorted to  violence  without  appealing  to  me.” 

Stanley  was  also  informed  of  the  death  of  several 
of  his  men.  Most  notable  among  these  was  Mabruki 
Speke.  This  faithful  servant  had  accompanied  Burton 
and  Speke,  Speke  and  Grant,  Stanley  on  his  first  jour- 
ney, Livingstone  on  his  last,  and  was  one  of  the  most 
trusted  of  the  following,  at  present,  from  Zanzibar  to 
Lake  Victoria.  This  ^ s a heavy  loss  to  the  Expedition. 

Stanley  now  enjoyed  a delightful,  much  needed 
rest.  He  excited  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the  na- 
tives by  recounting  his  adventures  on  the  voyage.  Dur- 
ing his  stay,  he  was  again  attacked  by  fever,  and  suffered 
from  its  effects  several  days,  but  close  attention  event- 
ually restored  him  to  health. 

Preparations  were  now  made  to  depart,  but  fever 
again  cut  short  the  arrangements  for  some  days.  At 
hength,  after  much  delay,  and  considerable  difficulty  in 


156 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


bartering,  canoes  and  men  were  obtained  from  Lukon- 
geh,  the  king  of  Ukerewe.  With  the  force  thus  ob- 
tained, Stanley  set  forth,  but  had  not  fairly  set  out  on 
the  journey  when  the  Wakerewe  became  rebellious,  and 
raised  an  uproar.  They  would  certainly  have  caused 
trouble,  had  not  Stanley  by  prompt  action  restored 
harmony,  and  brought  about  a definite  understanding. 

Halting  seven  days  more  at  Kagehyi,  twelve 
thousand  pounds  of  grain,  and  five  thousand  pounds  of 
rice  were  procured,  when  Stanley  again  embarked 
with  his  fleet,  and  set  sail  for  Mabibi.  This  point  was 
made  in  safety,  and  he  then  started  for  the  Miandereh 
Islands,  but  intense  darkness  set  in  before  they  reached 
their  destination.  We  now  let  Stanley  proceed  with  the 
narrative  in  his  own  words  : — 

“ We  had  proceeded  quietly  for  three  hours,  when 
suddenly  shrill  cries  were  heard  for  4 the  boat/  Hurry- 
ing to  the  spot,  I managed  to  distinguish,  to  my  aston- 
ishment, round  dark  objects  floating  on  the  water,  which 
we  found  to  be  the  heads  of  men  swimming  towards  us 
from  a foundered  canoe.  We  took  the  frightened  people 
on  board,  and  picked  up  four  bales  of  cloth,  but  a box 
of  ammunition  and  four  hundred  pounds  of  grain  had 
sunk. 

44  We  moved  forward  again,  but  had  scarcely  gone 
half  a mile  when  again  piercing  cries  from  the  deep 
gloom  startled  us.  4 The  boat ! oh,  the  boat ! ’ was 
screamed  in  frenzied  accents. 

44  As  we  steered  for  the  spot,  I lit  a wax  taper  and 
set  fire  to  the  leaves  of  a book  I had  been  reading  in  the 
afternoon,  to  lighten  up  the  scene.  Heads  of  struggling 
men  and  bales  were  found  here  likewise  in  the  water, 
and  a canoe  turned  bottom  up,  with  a large  rent  in  its 
side;  and  while  distributing  these  among  the  other 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


157 


canoes,  we  heard,  to  our  alarm,  that  five  guns  had  sunk, 
but  fortunately  no  lives  were  lost,  or  other  property,  ex- 
cept four  sacks  of  grain. 

“ My  boat  was  now  up  to  the  gunwale  with  twenty- 
two  men  and  thirty  loads,  and  if  a breeze  rose,  unless 
we  lightened  her  of  property,  she  would  inevitably  sink. 

Through  the  darkness  I shouted  out  to  the  fright- 
ened men  that,  if  any  more  canoes  collapsed,  the  crews 
should  at  once  empty  out  the  grain  and  beads,  but  on  no 
account  abandon  their  boats,  as  they  would  float  and 
sustain  them  until  I could  return  and  save  them. 

“ I had  scarcely  finished  speaking  before  the  alarm- 
ing cries  were  raised  again : ‘ Master,  the  canoe  is  sink- 
ing. Quick-come  here ! Oh,  master,  we  can  not 
swim ! ’ 

“ Again  I hurried  up  to  theories,  and  discovered  two 
men  paddling  vigorously,  while  five  were  bailing.  I was 
thinking  how  I could  possibly  assist  them,  when  other 
cries  broke  out : ‘ The  boat ! bring  the  boat  here ! oh, 
hurry,  the  boat!  the  boat !”  Then  another  broke  out: 
‘And  we  are  sinking.  The  water  is  up  to  our  knees ! 
Gome  to  us,  master,  or  we  die ! Bring  the  boat,  my 
master ! ’ 

“ It  was  evident  that  a panic  was  raging  among 
the  timid  souls,  that  the  people  were  rapidly  be- 
coming utterly  unnerved.  In  reply  to  their  frenzied 
cries,  and  as  the  only  way  to  save  us  all,  I shouted  out 
sternly,  ‘ You  who  would  save  yourselves,  follow  me  to 
the  islets  as  fast  as  you  can ; and  you  who  are  crying 
out,  cling  to  your  canoes  until  we  return.’ 

“We  rowed  hard.  The  moon  rose  also,  and  cheered 
us  in  half  an  hour  with  a sight  of  Miandereh,  for  which 
we  steered.  Her  brightness  had  also  the  effect  of  rous- 
ing up  the  spirits  of  the  Wangwana ; but  still  the  piteous 


158 


ON  THE  VICTOBIA. 


cries  were  heard  far  behind : ‘ Master,  0 master,  bring 
your  boat — the  boat !’ 

“ ‘Hark to  them,  my  boys — hark  ! ’ I sang  out  to  my 
crew,  and  they  responded  to  my  appeal  by  causing  the 
boat  to  fly  through  the  water,  though  the  waves  almost 
curled  over  her  sides.  4 Pull,  my  men ; break  your  oars ; 
shoot  her  through  the  water  ; life  and  death  hang  on 
your  efforts ; pull  like  heroes  ! ’ She  hissed  through  the 
waves,  as  ten  m£n,  bending  with  the  wildest,  most  des- 
perate efforts,  spurred  her  with  their  oars. 

“We  reached  Miandereh,  shot  the  goods  out,  light- 
ened her  of  the  wrecked  men,  and  flew  back  again, 
skimming  over  the  dark  surface. 

“There  were  two  brothers  who  had  been  made  cock- 
swains of  canoes,  who  came  prominently  into  notice  on 
this  terrible  night.  Each  had  his  special  crew — friends 
and  people  of  the  same  tribe — and  their  names  were 
Uledi  and  Shumari;  the  former  about  twenty-five  years 
old,  the  latter  eighteen. 

“ As  I was  returning  with  my  boat  to  the  scene,  two 
canoes  passed  me  like  arrows.  ‘Who  go  there?’  I de- 
manded. 

“ ‘Uledi’s  and  Shumari’s  canoes, ’answered  somebody. 

“‘Return  instantly,  after  unloading,  to  save  the 
people.’ 

“ ‘ It  is  what  we  intend  to  do,  Inshallah,’  answered  a 

voice. 

“ ‘ Fine  fellows  those ; I warrant  them,’  I thought, 
‘ Their  very  action  and  tone  reveal  their  brave  spirits.’ 

“ Away  we  flew  to  the  rescue,  blowing  the  bugle  to 
announce  our  approach.  We  passed  three  or  four  ca- 
noes, racing  by  us  to  the  inlets.  The  lake  was  calm, 
and  the  moon  shone  clear  and  strong,  casting  a golden 
light  upon  the  waters. 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


159 


“ We  now  heard  the  cries  for  aid  come  once  more 
pealing  over  the  lake  from  the  foundering  canoes.  With 
fresh  force  she  bounded  forwaH  Every  fibre  of  our 
straining  bodies  and  the  full  strength  of  our  energies  was 
roused,  and  in  five  minutes  we  ran  alongside  first  one 
canoe,  then  a second  and  third,  until  again  the  boat  was 
down  in  the  water  to  within  an  inch  of  her  gunwale. 
But  all  the  people — men,  women  and  children,  were  saved. 
The  light  material  of  which  the  canoes  were  constructed 
had  sufficed  to  float  the  loads  that  were  on  them. 

“ We  rested  until  help  should  arrive,  and  presently 
Uledi’s  and  Shumari’s  canoes  were  seen,  advancing  side 
by  side,  with  lines  of  pale  foam  flashing  from  each  bow, 
as  they  were  driven  with  the  force  of  strong  men  towards 
us.  With  loud,  glad  cries,  they  stopped  their  furious 
career  alongside,  and  the  first  words  they  uttered  were, 
‘ Are  all  safe  ? ’ 

‘“Yes,  all,’  we  replied. 

“ ‘Thanks  be  to  God,’  they  answered,  fervently. 

“ With  the  aid  of  these  two  canoes,  we  were  able  to 
return  to  the  islets  with  the  thirty-two  men,  women  and 
children,  and  the  entire  property  safe.  Our  loss  during 
this  fearful  night  was  five  canoes,  five  guns,  one  case  of 
ammunition,  and  twelve  hundred  pounds  of  grain.” 

Such  is  Stanley’s  account  of  one  of  his  most  des- 
perate situations,  and  an  almost  miraculous  escape.  It 
is  worthy  of  more  than  casual  notice  that  no  lives  were 
lost  amid  such  dangers. 

Being  thus  somewhat  crippled,  Stanley  left  Frank 
and  Manwa  Sera  with  a part  of  his  force  on  Refuge  Is- 
land, and  returned  to  Kagehyi  with  seventeen  canoes 
and  their  crews,  for  the  rest  of  his  force.  Three  canoes 
were  missing  when  Kagehyi  was  reached.  Five  days 
Stanley  waited;  then  a search  party  was  sent.  The 


160 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


same  day,  hearing  a sudden  uproar,  he  rushed  out  an/ 
saw  a horrible  sight.  About  thirty  men,  armed  with 
guns,  were  threatening  one  another  in  an  excited  manner ; 
while  clubs,  spears  and  knives  were  flourished  menac- 
ingly. One  man  lay  dead  with  a ghastly  knife  thrust  in 
his  heart ; another  lay  prostrate  with  his  skull  fractured 
by  a club.  The  author  of  this  deed  was  striding  up  and 
down  among  the  men,  brandishing  a murderous  club, 
and  delivering  sounding  blows  on  the  neighboring  heads 
and  shoulders.  Snatching  a stout  stick,  Stanley  gave 
him  a vigorous  rap  on  his  knuckles,  making  him  drop 
his  club,  when  the  chiefs  secured  him,  and  disarmed  the 
rest.  This  summary  proceeding  quelled  the  disturb- 
ance : and  Stanley,  finding  that  beer  was  at  the  bottom 
of  all  the  trouble,  ordered  all  the  sober  ones  into  line. 
To  this  call,  all  but  fifty-three  responded,  these  being 
quite  intoxicated. 

The  mischief-makers  were  instantly  secured  for  trial, 
and  the  jars  of  beer  were  all  broken.  The  case  being 
tried  before  a jury,  the  murderer  was  sentenced  to  death. 
To  this  extreme  measure  Stanley  would  not  consent ; 
consequently  the  sentence  was  changed  to  two  hundred 
lashes  and  the  chain,  till  he  could  be  taken  to  Zanzibar, 
and  there  surrendered  to  his  prince.  The  other  offender 
was  awarded  fifty  lashes  in  punishment  of  his  conduct. 

Four  days  later,  the  scouts  returned  with  two  of  the 
missing  canoes.  The  others  had  deserted. 

Promptly  setting  out,  on  the  11th  day  of  July,  they 
arrived  safely  at  Refuge  Island,  where  the  garrison  was 
found  in  a flourishing  condition.  Here  Stanley  was  con- 
fined for  five  days  with  such  a serious  illness  that  he 
was  unable  to  attend  to  business ; consequently,  young 
Pocock  was  deputed  to  take  charge  of  affairs. 

The  night  before  the  departure  from  this  place  was 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


161 


celebrated  by  a wild  dance  under  the  moonlight,  three 
kings  participating,  and  the  revelry  closing  with  a glori- 
ous feast. 

On  the  2.1st  of  July,  Mahyiga,  the  southernmost  of 
the  dreaded  Bumbireh  group,  was  reached,  which  was 
found  to  uninhabited.  While  they  were  at  work  here, 
two  large  canoes  filled  with  natives  approached  cau- 
tiously from  the  direction  of  Iroba.  Their  questions  and 
answers  showed  why  Magassa  had  never  appeared. 
Hearing  from  the  Wa-Bumbireh  that  Stanley  had  per- 
ished in  the  lake,  he  had  taken  the  stolen  oars  from 
them  and  returned  to  Mtesa.  The  people  of  Iroba  told 
Stanley  that  they  and  the  men  of  Bumbireh  and  Ihan- 
giro  would  not  allow  him  to  pass.  Stanley  asked  for  a 
consultation,  and  for  the  privilege  of  buying  food. 
They  promised  to  effect  this,  and  departed. 

The  morning  of  the  23d  brought  another  canoe, 
with  about  fifteen  men,  who  came  up  in  a bold,  defiant 
manner,  evidently  with  a view  of  ascertaining  the 
strength  of  Stanley’s  force. 

Being  rendered  suspicious  by  these  proceedings, 
Stanley  made  all  necessary  preparations  to  guard  the 
camp  against  surprise.  Wishing  to  preserve  peace  and 
mutual  good-will,  however,  he  always  spoke  mildly  to 
any  natives  that  came,  and  exhibited  rich  gifts  to  one 
canoe -full  of  men.  To  these  friendly  advances,  he  re- 
> ceived  no  reply,  save  an  insolent  and  scornful  laugh. 
Several  days  now  passed,  during  which  messages  were 
sent  back  and  forth,  but  without  securing  a treaty  of 
peace. 

Stanley  was  then  reinforced  by  a party  of  Waganda 
and  Wazongora,  sent  out  by  Mtesa  to  hunt  him  up,  and 
to  convey  the  Arab  Sungoro  to  Uganda.  They  were  in 
command  of  a okief  named  Sabadu.  Stanley’s  foree 


162 


ON  THE  VICTOKIA. 


now  numbered  four  hundred  ^nd  seventy  men,  which 
dispelled  all  fear  of  an  attack,  but  left  the  fear  of  famine 
to  be  confronted. 

The  natives  now  assuming  a more  friendly  de- 
meanor, Sabadu  was  sent  to  them  to  purchase  provis- 
ions. Returning  after  about  six  hours,  he  reported  that 
the  natives  had  treacherously  attacked  his  party,  killing 
one  man,  and  badly  wounded  eight  others.  The 
wounded  men  being  brought  on  shore,  their  comrades 
became  furious,  and  declared  their  intention  of  fully 
avenging  the  assault. 

Stanley,  unwilling  to  declare  for  war,  exhorted  the 
men  to  do  nothing  so  rash  till  he  could  investigate  the 
matter.  He  then  waited  on  the  king  of  Iroba,  and  be- 
came assured  that  he  was  perfectly  innocent  in  the  affair. 

Circumstances  were  now  such  that  war  could  only 
be  delayed,  and  not  avoided.  Accordingly  twenty 
pounds  of  ammunition  were  given  to  each  gun-bearer; 
two  hundred  and  thirty  spear-men,  and  fifty  musketeers 
were  detailed  to  act  as  a fighting  party,  and  eighteen 
canoes  were  prepared  to  convey  them  to  Bumbireh. 
They  then  proceeded  to  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the 
shore,  where  they  anchored,  and  made  a last  attempt  to 
avoid  the  fray,  which  was  unsuccessful. 

Further  parley  was  useless;  so  each  man,  having 
taken  aim,  was  directed  to  fire  into  a group  of  about 
fifty.  The  result  was  several  killed  and  wounded.  The 
savages,  seeing  the  effect  of  the  fire  on  so  compact  a 
body,  scattered,  and  rushed  down  to  the  water’s  edge, 
some  of  the  boldest  advancing  into  the  water  hip-deep. 
Stanley  then  moved  his  forces  nearer  shore,  and  the  battle 
began  in  earnest.  For  an  hour  the  savages  boldly  held 
the  water  line,  using  their  slings  and  stones  with  better 
effect  than  they  shot  their  arrows.  Seeing  their  spirit 


ON  THE  VICTORIA. 


163 


abate,  Stanley  made  a feint  as  though  he  were  about  to 
land.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  for,  as  the  savages 
rushed  down  to  prevent  it,  another  volley  was  poured  into 
them,  completely  discouraging  them,  and  precipitating 
their  retreat.  The  battle  was  finished. 

Having  thus  shown  sufficient  boldness  in  meeting 
the  enemy,  and  their  ability  to  cope  with  the  savages  of 
the  lake,  Stanley  had  more  confidence  in  his  men. 
While  the  test  was  not  severe,  yet  it  was  useful  training 
for  the  days  of  greater  peril  yet  to  come. 

Stanley  suffered  no  further  molestation  from  the 
Wa-Bumbireh,  and  at  once  proceeded  on  his  journey  to 
Uganda,  arriving  at  Dumo  without  further  hindrance  or 
especial  adventure. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  WAGANDA-WAVUMA  WAR. 


HT  DUMO,  there  was  much  talk  about  a war,  and 
the  vast  preparations  Mtesa,  King  of  the  Waganda, 
was  making  for  an  expedition  against  the  Wavu- 
ma  pirates.  Hoping  to  reach  him  at  his  capital,  and 
being  desirous  of  prosecuting  without  delay  the  jour- 
ney to  Lake  Albert,  Stanley  pushed  forward,  with  all 
haste.  On  his  way,  however,  he  was  informed  that 
Mtesa  had  already  been  engaged,  and  was  then  at  or 
near  the  Kipon  Falls.  Accordingly  he  altered  his  course 
and  went  to  that  place,  receiving  on  the  way  many  mes- 
sages and  tokens  of  good-will  and  esteem  from  Mtesa. 
On  his  arrival,  he  was  received  with  great  ceremony  by 
the  followers  of  Mtesa. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  proceed  at  once,  and  relying 
on  the  promise  of  aid  by  Mtesa  as  soon  as  the  war  was 
concluded,  Stanley  prepared  to  remain  for  a time  with 
him,  and  employed  himself  making  notes  and  observa- 
tions. 

The  Wavuma  inhabit  a large  island  in  the  lake.  Be- 
tween Wavuma  and  the  mainland  are  two  other  islands, 
the  smaller  of  which,  Ingira,  was  the  base  of  operations 
of  the  Wavuma.  Mtesa’s  forces  occupied  the  great  cape 
Nakaranga,  separated  from  Ingira  by  a channel  700  yards 
wide.  In  the  bay  sheltered  by  the  cape,  was  the  Waganda 

U«54i) 


166 


THE  WAGANDA-WAVUMA  WAR. 


fleet  of  325  canoes,  about  230  of  which  were  in  con- 
dition for  good  service.  As  these  could  be  crammed 
with  from  40  to  100  men  each,  Mtesa  could  float  an 
army  of  16,000  or  more. 

Mtesa’s  army  on  the  march  was  a splendid  sight.  There 
were  in  all  some  250,000  souls,  gathered  from  all  parts 
of  his  dominions.  His  women  were  not  more  than  5,000 
in  number.  Of  these  about  500  were  concubines,  the 
rest  merely  attending  to  the  duties  of  the  household, 
Among  all  these  women,  there*,  were  not  more  than 
twenty  worthy  of  a glance  of  admiration  from  a white 
man  with  any  eye  to  beauty,  and  not  more  than  three 
worthy  of  a second  glance. 

Having  arrived  at  a proper  distance  from  the  enemy, 
Mtesa  halted  and  camped.  There  was  then,  for  some 
days,  considerable  skirmishing,  which  resulted  in  no 
decided  advantage  to  either  side.  A peace  party  was 
then  sent  over  to  the  enemy,  despite  all  Stanley’s  strong- 
est advice  to  the  contrary,  when  they  were  most  foully 
murdered  as  soon  as  they  had  landed.  This  discouraged 
and  disconcerted  Mtesa  very  much,  and  he  retired  to  his 
tent  gloomy  and  depressed. 

Mtesa  now  conceived  a desire  to  be  instructed  in  the 
sciences  of  civilization.  Accordingly,  Stanley  became  a 
kind  of  encyclopedia  of  general  information  for  him,  keep- 
ing in  mind  his  idea  of  Christianizing  him.  Stanley' fin- 
ally turned  his  attention  to  matters  of  divinity,  on  which 
topic  he  discoursed  till  he  happened  to  mention  angels. 
On  hearing  the  word,  Mtesa  screamed  with  joy,  and  the 
patricians  of  Uganda  struck  up  in  chorus,  as  if  they 
had  heard  an  exceedingly  good  thing. 

The  uproar  subsiding,  Mtesa  said:  “Standee,  I have 
always  told  my  chiefs  that- the  white  men  knew  every- 
thing, and  are  skillful  in  all  things-.  A great  many 


THE  WAGANBA-WAVUMA  WAR, 


167 


Arabs,  some  Turks,  and  four  white  men  have  visited  me, 
and  I have  examined  and  heard  them  all  talk,  and  for 
wisdom  and  goodness  the  white  men  excel  all  the  others. 
Why  do  the  Arabs  and  Turks  come  to  Uganda  ? Is  it 
not  for  ivory  and  slaves  ? Why  do  the  white  men  come  ? 
They  come  to  see  this  lake,  our  rivers  and  mountains. 
The  Arabs  bring  beads,  cloth,  and  wire,  to  buy  ivory  and 
slaves ; they  also  bring  powder  and  guns.  But  who  made 
all  these  things  the  Arabs  bring  here  for  trade  ? The 
Arabs  themselves  say  the  white  men  made  them,  and  I 
have  seen  nothing  yet,  of  all  they  have  brought,  that  the 
white  men  did  not  make.  Therefore,  I say,  give  me  the 
white  men,  because  if  you  want  knowledge,  you  must 
talk  with  them  to  get  it.  Now,  Standee,  tell  me  and  my 
chiefs  what  you  know  about  the  angels.” 

Thus  requested,  Stanley  gave  as  good  a description  as 
he  could  of  the  generally  accepted  idea  of  angels,  and  in 
order  to  show  that  he  had  authority  for  what  he  said, 
procured  a Bible,  and  translated  what  Ezekiel  and  St. 
John  said  of  angels. 

This  little  incident  was  the  beginning  of  many  inter- 
esting talks  of  the  truths  contained  in  Scripture.  Hence- 
forth, in  the  intervals  of  war,  the  King,  court  and  Stan- 
ley, were  all  engaged  in  a translation  of  leading  portions 
of  the  Bible. 

Having  an  abundance  of  writing  paper,  Stanley  made 
a large  book,  into  which  the  translations  were  fairly 
copied  by  a writer  called  Idi.  When  the  abridged  Bible 
was  completed,  Mtesa  called  all  his  chiefs  together,  as 
well  as  the  officers  of  his  guard,  and  stated  that  when 
he  succeeded  his  father,  he  was  a heathen,  and  delighted 
in  shedding  blood,  because  he  knew  no  better,  and  was 
only  following  the  ancient  custom.  When  an  Arab 

trader  taught  him  the  creed  of  Islam,  he  had  renouneed 

0 


168 


THE  WAGANDA-WAVUMA  WAR. 


the  example  of  his  fathers,  and  executions  became  less 
frequent,  and  since  that  day  he  had  never  been  drunk 
on  pombe.  Still  there  were  many  things  which  the  Arabs 
taught  him  which  he  could  not  understand,  and  which 
his  sense  condemned,  as  there  was  nobody  in  Uganda  to 
enlighten  him.  But  as  it  was  in  his  heart  to  be  good,  he 
hoped  God  would  overlook  his  follies  and  forgive  him,  and 
send  men  who  knew  what  was  right  to  Uganda.  He  then 
proceeded  in  his  own  way  to  draw  comparisons  between 
the  book  of  Mohammed  and  the  Bible,  and  then  asked  his 
chiefs  and  soldiers,  “Shall  we  believe  in  Jesus  and  Moses, 
or  in  Mohammed  ?” 

Chambarango  replied,  “Let  us  take  that  which  is  best.” 
The  Katekiro  said,  “We  know  not  which  is  the  best.  The 
Arabs  say  their  book  is  the  best,  and  the  white  men  say 
their  book  is  the  best — how  then  can  we  know  which 
speaks  the  truth  ?” 

Kanta,  the  imperial  steward  said:  “When  Mtesa  be- 
came a son  of  Islam,  he  taught  me,  and  I became  one. 
If  my  master  says  he  taught  me  wrong,  having  got  more 
knowledge  he  can  now  teach  me  right ; I am  waiting  to 
hear  his  words.” 

Mtesa  smiled,  and  said,  “Kanta  speaks  well.  If  I 
taught  him  how  to  become  a Moslem  I did  it  because  I 
believed  it  to  be  good.  Chambarango  says,  ‘Let  us  take 
that  which  is  best.’  True,  I want  that  which  is  best,  and  I 
want  the  true  book ; but  Katekiro  asks,  ‘How  are  we  to 
know  which  is  true  ?’  and  I will  answer  him.  Listen  to 
me.  The  Arabs  and  the  white  men  behave  exactly  as 
they  are  taught  by  their  books,  do  they  not  ? The  Arabs 
come  here  for  ivory  and  slaves,  and  we  have  seen  that 
they  do  not  always  speak  the  truth,  and  that  they  buy 
men  of  their  own  color,  and  treat  them  badly,  putting 
them  in  chains  and  beating  them.  The  white  men,  when 


THE  WAGANDA-WAVUMA  WAR. 


169 


offered  slaves,  refuse  them,  saying,  ‘Shall  we  make  our 
brothers  slaves  ? No,  we  are  all  sons  of  God.  I have 
not  heard  a white  man  tell  a lie  yet.  Speke  came  here, 
behaved  well,  and  went  his  way  home  with  his  brother 
Grant.  They  bought  no  slaves,  and  the  time  they  were 
in  Uganda,  they  were  very  good.  Stanley  came  here, 
and  he  would  take  no  slaves.  Abdul  Aziz  Bey  (M.  Lin- 
ant)  has  been  here,  and  is  gone,  and  he  took  no  slaves. 
What  Arab  would  have  refused  slaves  like  these  white 
men  ? Though  we  deal  in  slaves,  it  is  no  reason  why  it 
should  not  be  bad.  And  when  I think  that  the  Arabs  and 
the  white  men  do  as  they  are  taught,  I say  that  the  white 
men  are  greatly  superior  to  the  Arabs,  and  I think,  there- 
fore, that  their  book  must  be  a better  book  than  Moham- 
med’s, and  of  all  that  Stamlee  has  read  from  his  book 
I see  nothing  too  hard  for  me  to  believe.  The  book  be- 
gins from  the  very  beginning  of  this  world,  tells  us  how 
it  was  made,  and  in  how  many  days,  gives  us  the  words 
of  God  himself,  and  of  Moses,  and  of  the  prophet  Solo- 
mon, and  Jesus,  the  Son  of  Mary.  I have  listened  to  it 
all  well  pleased,  and  now  I ask  you,  shall  we  accept  this 
book  or  Mohammed’s  book  as  our  guide  ?” 

Seeing  the  evident  bent  of  Mtesa’s  mind,  they  all 
replied,  “We  will  take  the  white  man’s  book,”  which 
caused  the  Emperor’s  face  to  light  up  with  real  joy. 

Thus  he  renounced  Islamism,  accepting  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  and  announcing  his  determination  to  build  a 
church,  and  do  all  in  his  power  to  disseminate  the  truth 
among  his  people  by  precept  and  example. 

“Stamlee,”  said  Mtesa,  as  they  parted,  nearly  two 
months  after  the  massacre  of  the  peace  party,  “say  to 
the  white  people,  when  you  write  them,  that  I am  like  a 
man  sitting  in  darkness  or  born  blind,  and  that  all  I ask 


170 


THE  WAGANBA-WAVUMA  WAR. 


is  that  I may  be  taught  how  to  see,  and  I shall  continue 
a Christian  while  Hive.” 

It  must  be  said,  however,  that  Mtesa  was  not  so 
promising  a case  as  Stanley  thought  him.  He  was  fickle 
and  unreliable.  Much  of  his  profession  ultimately 
seemed  to  be  due  to  the  African  desire  of  novelty.  While 
more  intelligent  than  most  of  his  race,  that  ability  was 
employed  for  his  own  aggrandizement,  rather  than  for 
the  good  of  his  people.  His  wavering,  impetuous  nature 
rendered  him  easy  to  master  by  a strong,  firm  man  like 
Stanley ; but  while  often  acting  from  good  momentary 
impulses,  he  became  restive  under  restraint.  The  mis- 
sionaries found  him  friendly  because  of  the  temporal 
advantages  he  expected  to  gain  by  intercourse  with  the 
whites,  but  more  than  this  could  hardly  be  asserted  of 
him ; yet  he  was  far  superior  to  his  reckless,  bloodthirsty, 
and  bigoted  successor,  his  son  Mwanga,  who  was 
responsible  for  the  murder  of  Bishop  Hannington  and  of 
many  native  converts, 

On  the  14th  of  September,  Mtesa  decided  to  give 
battle  to  the  Wavuma,  who  were  daily  becoming  more 
arrogant  and  boastful.  Accordingly,  after  all  due  pre- 
caution had  been  exercised  in  the  way  of  charms  and 
incantations,  the  army  went  forth  to  the  encounter.  As 
usual,  the  conflict  resulted  in  no  decided  advantage  to 
either  side.  • Mtesa  now  began  to  realize  that  some  de- 
cided effort  must  be  put  forth.  Calling  his  chiefs 
together,  he  held  a council,  and  made  them  a powerful 
address,  and  then  went  forth  again  to  battle.  Many 
battles  were  now  fought,  each  side  displaying  great 
bravery,  till  at  length  it  became  evident  that  the  Wavu- 
ma would  not  surrender  without  a fearful  loss  of  life ; 
it  was  also  equally  apparent  that  Mtesa  would  not  relax 
his  hold  without  receiving  satisfaction  from  the  enemy. 


THE  WAGaNDA-WAVUMA  WAR. 


171 


At  this  crisis  Stanley  felt  that  he  must  devise  some 
means  to  end  the  strife.  He  therefore  contrived  a plan 
which  he  felt  confident  would  succeed,  but  before  he 
could  present  it  to  Mtesa  for  his  consideration,  an  inci- 
dent occurred  which  interrupted  him,, 

Mtesa  had  succeeded  in  capturing  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal chiefs  of  the  Wavuma,  and  was  about  to  burn  him 
at  the  stake  for  the  amusement  of  his  army.  Hurrying 
to  the  scene  of  execution,  Stanley  held  the  following 
conversation  with  Mtesa : 

“Ah,  Mtesa,  have  you  forgotten  the  words  of  the 
good  book  which  I have  read  to  you  so  often!  ‘If  thy 
brother  offend  thee,  thou  shalt  forgive  him  many  times.’ 
‘Love  thy  enemies.’  ‘Do  good  to  them  that  hate  you.’ 
‘Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.’  ‘Forgive  us 
our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  them  that  trespass  against 
us.’” 

“But  this  man  is  a native  of  Uvuma,  and  the  Wa- 
vuma are  at  war  with  me.  Have  you  forgotten  Webba  ?” 
“ No,  I remember  poor  little  Webba ; I saw  him  die, 
and  I was  very  sorry.  ” 

“ Shall  this  man  not  die,  Standee  ? Shall  I not  have 
blood  for  him,  Stamlee  ?” 

“No.” 

“ But  I shall,  Stamlee.  I will  burn  this  man  to  ashes. 
I will  burn  every  soul  I catch.  I will  have  blood ! blood ! 
the  blood  of  all  in  Uvuma  !” 

“ No,  Mtesa,  no  more  blood.  It  is  time  the  war  was 
ended.” 

“What!”  said  Mtesa,  bursting  into  a paroxysm  of 
fury.  I will  slay  every  soul  in  Uvuma,  will  cut  down 
every  plantain,  and  burn  every  man,  woman,  and  child  on 
that  island.  By  the  grave  of  my  father  Suna,  I will !” 

“ No,  Mtesa,  you  must  stop  this  wild,  pagan  way  of 


172 


THE  WAGANDA-WAVTJMA  WAR. 


thinking.  It  is  only  a pagan  who  always  dreams  of 
blood  and  talks  of  shedding  blood,  as  yon  do.  It  is  only 
the  pagan  boy  Mtesa  that  speaks  now.  It  is  not  the 
man  Mtesa,  whom  I saw,  and  whom  I made  a friend. 
It  is  not  ‘Mtesa  the  Good/  whom  you  said  your  people 
loved:  It  is  not  Mtesa  the  Christian,  it  is  the  savage. 
Bah  ! I have  had  enough  of  you ; I know  you  now.” 

“Standee!  Stamlee  ! Wait  a short  time  and  you 
will  see.  What  are  you  waiting  for?”  he  said,  turning  to 
the  expectant  executioners. 

Instantly  the  victim  was  bound ; but  suddenly  ris- 
ing, Stanley  exclaimed,  “Listen  to  one  word.  The  white 
man  speaks  but  once ; listen  to  me  for  the  last  time. 
You  remember  the  tale  of  Kintu  you  told  me  the  other 
day.  He  left  the  land  of  Uganda  because  it  stank  with 
blood.  As  Kintu  left  Uganda  in  the  old,  old  days,  I 
shall  leave  it,  never  to  return.  To-day  Kintu  is  looking 
down  upon  you  from  the  spirit-land,  and  as  he  rebuked 
Ma’anda  for  murdering  his  faithful  servant,  so  is  he  re- 
buking you  to-day  through  me.  lres,  kill  that  poor  old 
man,  and  I shall  leave  you  to-day,  unless  you  kill  me 
too ; and  from  Zanzibar  to  Cairo  I shall  tell  every  Arab 
I meet  what  a murderous  beast  you  are,  and  through  all 
the  white  man’s  land  I shall  tell  with  a loud  voice  what 
a wicked  act  I saw  Mtesa  do,  and  how  the  other  day  he 
wanted  to  run  away,  because  he  heard  a silly  old  woman 
say  the  Wasoga  were  marching  upon  him.  How  grand 
old  Kamanya  must  have  wept  in  the  spirit-land  when  he 
heard  of  Mtesa  about  to  run  away.  How  the  lion- 
hearted  Suna  must  have  groaned  when  he  saw  Mtesa 
shiver  in  terror  because  an  old  woman  had  had  a bad 
dream.  Good-bye,  Mtesa;  you  may  kill  the  Mvuma 
chief,  but  I am  going  and  shall  not  see  it.” 

Mtesa’s  fury  wavered : astonishment  followed ; then 


THE  WAGANDA-WAVUMA  WAR.  173 

he  broke  down,  wept  like  a child,  and  rushed  out  of  the 
council.  An  hour  later  he  sent  a page  to  Stanley  to  ask 
him  to  come  into  the  royal  presence  again.  Mtesa  then 
said,  “Standee  will  not  say  Mtesa  is  bad  now,  for  he  has 
forgiven  the  Mvuma  chief,  and  will  not  hurt  him.  Will 
Standee  say  that  Mtesa  is  good  now  ? And  does  he  think 
Suna  is  glad  now  ?” 

“Mtesa  is  very  good,”  said  Stanley  clasping  his 
hand  warmly.  He  then  explained  his  plan  for  subduing 
the  enemy  without  further  slaughter.  Mtesa  gave  him 
liberty  to  use  all  the  men  he  needed,  and  do  anything  he 
liked.  Stanley  then  selected  three  of  the  largest  boats, 
and  placing  them  side  by  side,  built  a large  stockade  of 
poles  on  them,  which  was  impenetrable  to  spears. 
When  completed,  the  king  was  doubtful  about  its  floating, 
but  his  women  said : “Leave  Stamlee  alone ; he  would 

not  make  such  a thing  if  he  did  not  know  it  would  float.” 
When  launched  it  floated  easily  and  safely,  and  with 
banners  flying  above  it,  and  apparently  moving  of  its 
own  accord,  was  well  calculated  to  inspire  terror  in  the 
untutored  Wavuma.  A herald  announced  to  them  that 
a terrible  thing  was  to  be  sent  against  them  to  blow 
their  island  to  atoms  if  they  did  not  submit.  They 
were  told  all  the  potent  charms  of  Uganda  were  con- 
cealed within ; a very  effective  argument,  for  the  African 
has  a very  great  respect  for  “fetish.”  The  craft  was 
then  loaded  with  men,  and  sent  in  perfect  silence  to- 
wards the  enemy.  Approaching  within  fifty  yards  of 
the  shore,  it  halted,  and  a stentorian  voice  within  cried 
out,  “Speak;  what  will  you  do?  Will  you  make  peace, 
and  submit  to  Mtesa,  or  shall  we  blow  up  the  island? 
Be  quick  and  answer.” 

There  was  a hurried  consultation,  a trembling  with 
awe,  a nearer  approach  of  the  “spirit,”  a second  de- 


174  THE  WAGANDA-WAVUMA  WAR. 

mand,  a pause,— an  unconditional  surrender.  The  war 
was  ended. 

All  were  highly  pleased ; the  tribute  was  brought, 
and  amicable  relations  were  restored. 

A day  or  two  later,  as  the  army  was  breaking  camp, 
a sudden  cry  of  fire  was  raised.  The  grass  huts  were 
everywhere  speedily  in  a blaze.  Blinded  by  the  smoke, 
prince  and  peasant,  Waganda  and  Wangwana,  rushed 
for  the  hill  back  of  the  camp.  Stanley  himself  was 
almost  suffocated.  As  the  entire  army  numbered  many 
ten  thousands,  and  many  were  sick  and  helpless,  it  is 
certain  that  scores  perished  in  the  conflagration. 
Stanley  was  in  high  dudgeon,  believing  the  deed  was 
another  piece  of  Mtesa’s  reckless  wantonness;  but  be- 
ing assured  by  Mtesa  that  the  act  was  without  his  order, 
he  regained  his  composure,  and  joined  the  army  on  its 
return  journey. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


TO  NYANGWE. 


ON  THE  29th  of  October,  Mtesa  arrived  with  his 
army  at  the  old  capital  of  Ulagalla.  He  was 
received  with  hearty  embraces  by  his  old  mother, 
and  the  relicts  of  the  late  lamented  Suna.  Other  than 
this,  there  was  no  demonstration  made  to  meet  him. 

Allowing  a few  days  to  elapse  for  rest,  Stanley  re- 
minded Mtesa  of  his  promise  of  assistance  on  the  con- 
templated expedition  to  the  Mnta  Nzige.  Mtesa  there- 
upon consented  to  his  departure,  and  bade  him  make 
choice  of  any  one  of  his  chiefs  to  accompany  him. 
Accordingly,  Stanley  chose  Sambuzi,  a man  of  thirty, 
who  had  distinguished  himself  for  his  personal  bravery 
during  the  war.  Mtesa  approved  of  the  choice,  and 
publicly  gave  his  commands'  to  Sambuzi,  to  conduct 
Stanley  in  safety,  at  all  times  to  be  subject  to  him,  and 
not  to  return  without  a letter  of  dismissal. 

Stanley  spent  some  timp,  before  his  departure,  in 
conversation  with  Mtesa,  talking  chiefly  on  the  church 
in  process  of  erection,  which  was  to  be  in  charge  of  a 
mission  lad  from  Zanzibar,  till  one  more  worthy  should 
take  his  place.  Mtesa  exhibted  genuine  sorrow  at  the 
final  parting  with  Stanley,  sending  him  away  with  many 
tokens  of  his  esteem.  Stanley  himself  was  filled  with 
grave  apprehensions,  for  he  knew  Mtesa’s  embracing  dr 

(175) 


176 


TO  NYANGWE. 


Christianity  was.  merely  nominal,  and  that  his  friendli- 
ness to  white  men  was  prompted  solely  by  self-interest. 
Yet  in  him,  on  account  of  his  power  and  his  intelligence, 
Stanley  believed  the  hopes  of  Central  Africa  lay. 

Finally,  with  an  escort  of  twenty  canoes  filled  with 
men,  Stanley  set  forth  on  his  journey.  He  was  hospita- 
bly entertained  on  the  march,  and  in  four  days  arrived 
at  Dumo,  and  greeted  the  expedition  after  an  absence  of 
three  months  and  five  days.  All  were  in  excellent 
health,  and  showed  by  their  robust  forms  that  they  had 
been  fed  on  the  best  of  the  land. 

The  expedition  was  reformed,  the  loads  repacked, 
and  on  the  seventh  day  after  his  return  to  Dumo,  Stan- 
ley began  his  march  towards  the  general  rendezvous  of 
the  exploring  army  on  the  Katonga  river.  During  an 
* enforced  halt  of  five  days  at  Kikoma  he  shot  fifty-seven 
hartbeest,  two  zebra,  and  one  water  buck.  Lions  were 
here  heard  of,  but  none  were  seen. 

Sambuzi  now  became  proud  and  haughty  in  his 
demeanor,  and  Stanley  was  compelled  to  talk  plainly  to 
him  to  come  to  an  understanding.  This  brought  about 
a better  state  of  affairs.  On  New  Year’s  day,  1876,  the 
exploring  army,  nearly  two  thousand  and  eight  hundred 
strong,  left  Kawanga,  and  for  some  days  proceeded  without 
molestation.  On  the  ninth  of  January,  they  entered  a 
hostile  country,  and  at  sight  of  them  the  natives  fled 
precipitately,  shouting  as  they  ran  that  they  would  re- 
turn and  make  war  the  next  day.  Fearing  some  evil, 
therefore,  Stanley  sent  out  two  hundred  men  to  capture 
prisoners.  They  returned  with  ten  natives,  whom  Stan- 
ley loaded  with  rich  presents,  and  then  releasing  them, 
bade  them  inform  their  respective  chiefs  that  a white 
man  wished  to  reside  in  their  country  a few  days  and 
see  the  lake. 


T«0  NYANGWE 


177 


In  two  days  an  answer  was  brought  by  about  three 
hundred  natives,  who  said  they  did  not  like  for  strangers 
to  come  into  their  country,  and,  though  the  white  man’s 
words  were  good,  they  believed  his  intentions  were  evil. 
They  then  left,  bidding  him  prepare  for  war  on  the 
morrow. 

This  turn  of  affairs  unsettled  the  nerves  of  the 
Waganda,  and  a panic  was  imminent.  At  this  critical 
juncture,  Stanley  took  counsel  with  the  chiefs,  and  ad- 
vised them  to  send  out  a detachment  of  five  hundred  to 
discover  a path  by  which  the  canoes,  luggage  and  equip- 
ments could  be  carried  to  the  lake.  They  were  also  to 
ascertain  whether  canoes  could  be  procured  from  the 
natives  on  the  lake  shore.  This  pleased  the  chiefs,  who 
then  acted  accordingly,  and  the  people  were  quieted 
somewhat. 

The  scouting  party  returning  with  an  unfavorable 
report,  the  Waganda  again  became  anxious  to  be  gone  on 
the  instant.  A council  was  then  held,  a long  and  heated 
discussion  followed,  and  Stanley  left  the  “shauri”  promis- 
ing to  give  an  answer  shortly.  He  then  consulted  with 
the  trusty  men  of  his  own  force,  and  finally  resolved  to 
return  and  try  to  reach  the  lake  by  another  road.  This 
decision  was  exactly  in  accord  with  the  wishes  of  the 
Wangwana,  and  the  line  of  march  was  soon  formed  for 
the  return  journey.  The  natives,  seeing  the  compact 
form  of  the  line  made  it  a hazardous  task  to  attack  it, 
contented  themselves  with  following  at  a distance  until 
they  were  clear  of  the  country. 

On  the  27th, -Sambuzi  parted  from  Stanley,  going 
to  his  own  land  and  carrying  off  one  hundred  eighty 
pounds  of  beads  which  had  been  allotted  to.  him  for 
transportation.  Stanley  then  sent  a messenger  with  a 
letter  to  Mtesa  stating  the  behavior  of  Sambuzi.  On 


TO  NYANGWE . 


179 


hearing  it  read,  Mtesa  became  terribly  enraged,  and  sent 
Saruti  to  plunder  Sambuzi’s  territory,  depose  him  from 
the  chieftainship,  and  put  him  in  chains.  The  others 
who  had  advised  returning,  he  punished  with  lashes. 
He  then  depatc-hed  a messenger  to  Stanley,  offering  to 
send  a hundred  thousand  men  to  conduct  him.  This 
offer,  after  reflection,  Stanley  declined,  realizing  that 
the  Waganda  could  not  be  trusted  out  of  Mtesa’s  sight, 
and  sent  a letter  to  Mtesa  so  stating.  This  letter  termi- 
nated the  intercourse  between  them,  and  thenceforth 
the  expedition  was  to  be  guided  and  controlled  by  one 
man  only,  subject  to  no  interference  or  hindrance  by  a 
petty  chief. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  Stanley  entered  Kafurro, 
an  Arab  depot,  which  owes  its  importance  to  being  a 
settlement  of  a few  rich  Arabs.  Here  he  rested  a month, 
spending  his  time  in  exploring  Western  Karagwe.  He 
was  very  kindly  treated  by  Rumanika,  who  was  in  tem- 
per and  all  personal  traits  the  very  opposite  of  the 
nervous  and  furious  Mtesa,  affected  no  state,  and  was  a 
kind  and  considerate  sovereign.  Resuming  his  march 
on  the  26th  of  March,  he  traveled  on  through  lands 
affording  a diversity  of  aspect,  occasionally  shooting  a 
rhinoceros,  and  at  times  compelled  to  pay  a heavy 
-tribute  to  some  grasping  chief.  At  the  road  leading  to 
the  territory  of  Makorongo,  he  was  met  by  an  embassy 
with  an  insolent  demand,  which  he  refused  to  obey* 
Not  being  satisfied  with  the  answer,  the  embassy  re- 
sorted to  threats.  In  the  end  they  were  compelled  to 
depart  without  accomplishing  their  object.  Stanley  then 
made  a forced  march,  and  ere  they  could  return  with 
sufficient  force  to  stop  him,  had  passed  their  territory, 
and  was  out  of  reach  of  their  greed. 

At  Nyambarri,  one  of  the  captains  was  detected  in 


180 


TO  NYANGWE. 


the  act  of  inciting  a large  number  of  the  men  to  desert. 
He  was  promptly  deposed  from  his  office,  and  sentenced 
to  carry  a box  for  six  months. 

During  the  march  from  Nyambarri  to  Gambawagao, 
the  last  surviving  dog,  overcome  by  age  and  the  journey 
of  fifteen  hundred  miles,  lay  down  in  the  path  and  died. 
To  the  last,  he  bravely  tried  to  keep  up,  and  in  death 
still  kept  his  eyes  looking  forward  toward  the  caravan 
receding  along  the  path  he  had  vainly  tried  to  follow.  On 
the  18th  of  April,  a messenger  brought  the  news  that  the 
African  bugbear,  Mirambo,  was  only  two  marches  dis- 
tant. The  caravan  and  the  village  at  which  it  was  en- 
camped were  in  a panic.  The  chieftain  wished  Stanley 
to  stay  and  help  fight.  But  Mirambo  was  by  this  time 
a very  old  story  to  Stanley,  who  coolly  proceeded  on  his 
way,  regardless  of  native  forebodings. 

But  there  was  no  mistake  about  the  matter  this 
time,  and  two  days  later  the  expedition  came  face  to 
face  with  the  veritable  Simon  Pure.  Stanley  was 
astonished  and  disappointed.  The  redoubtable  Mirambo 
had  been  pictured  to  him  as  a sort  of  exaggerated  Mtesa. 
He  was  amazed  to  find  a grave,  quiet,  well-dressed  man 
of  medium  size,  prompt  and  decisive  in  action,  generous 
to  the  white  man,  whom  he  persistently  outdid  in  liber- 
ality, and  with  whom  he  finally  made  a blood  brother- 
hood. So  this  was  the  man  who  had  turned  .Stanley  out 
of  his  course  at  Unyanyembe,  three  years  before ! 
From  this  place  Stanley  pushed  forward  with  little  hin- 
drance. He  made  his  own  terms  with  tribute-seeking 
chieftains,  telling  them  to  take  his  offer  or  nothing. 
His  success  was  good,  for  the  chieftains  were  astonished 
at  the  coolness  and  audacity  of  the  white  man. 

On  the  27th  of  May  the  caravan  entered  Ujiji. 
Nothing  was  changed  much,  save  the  e'er-changing 


TO  NYANGWE. 


ist 


mud  huts  of  the  Arabs.  The  house  where  he  had  spent 
so  many  happy  hours  with  Dr.  Livingstone  had  long 
since  burnt  down,  and  in  its  place  there  only  remained 
a few  embers,  and  a hideous  void.  “The  surf  is  still  as 
restless,  and  the  sun  as  bright;  the  sky  retains  its 
glorious  azure,  and  the  palms  all  their  beauty,  but  the 
grand  old  hero  whose  presence  once  almost  hallowed 
Ujiji  is  gone.” 

Although  Stanley  had  been  in  Africa  nineteen 
months,  and  had  long  before  sent  a message  to  Said 
bin  Salim,  governor  of  Unyanyemi'e,  to  forward  all  his 
letters  to  Ujiji,  promising  him  a liberal  reward,  yet  he 
found  no  letters  for  himself  or  Frank,  on  his  return. 
Thinking  that  he  might  possibly  obtain  some  news  by 
sending  to  Unyamyembe,  he  despatched  messengers 
thither,  while  he  should  explore  Lake  Tanganyika.  His 
five  trustworthy  men  reached  Unyanyembe  in  fifteen 
days,  but,  though  he  halted  at  Ujiji  seventy  days,  they 
from  some  cause  never  returned  to  the  expedition. 

The  great  problem  in  connection  with  the  Tanganyi- 
ka was,  had  it  an  outlet?  Commander  Cameron’s 
observation  had  satisfied  him  that  it  had,  in  the  Lukuga 
River.  But  the  testimony  of  all  at  Ujiji  was  directly 
opposed  to  this.  Stanley  saw  the  only  solution  was  to 
carefully  circumnavigate  the  lake. 

There  was  strong  circumstantial  evidence  that 
there  was  no  outlet.  Three  palm-trees  which  stood  in 
the  market-place  in  November,  1871,  were  now  one 
hundred  feet  out  in  the  lake.  The  channel  separating 
Bangwe  Island  the  Arabs  were  accustomed  to  ford  thirty 
years  before.  It  was  now  quite  broad,  and  in  the 
deepest  part  twenty-five  feet  deep.  At  another  point  in 
the  lake  Stanley  was  shown  a tree  in  nine  feet  of  water. 
Not  many  years  before  it  had  stood  high  and  dry. 


182 


TO  NYANGWE. 


Other  evidence  of  this  sort  was  obtained  from  time  to 
time.  The  Wajiji  lake  traders  and  fishermen  relate  the 
following  legend  concerning  the  origin  of  the  lake : 

“ Years  and  years  ago,  where  you  see  this  great 
lake,  was  a wide  plain,  inhabited  by  many  tribes  and 
natives,  who  owned  large  herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of 
goats.  On  this  plain  there  was  a very  large  town, 
fenced  round  with  poles  strong  and  high.  As  was  the 
custom  in  those  days,  the  people  of  the  town  surrounded 
their  houses  with  tall  hedges  of  cane,  enclosing  courts 
where  their  cattle  and  goats  were  herded  at  night  from 
the  wild  beasts  and  from  thieves.  In  one  of  these  en- 
closures lived  a man  and  his  wife  who  possessed  a deep 
well,  from  which  water  bubbled  up  and  supplied  a 
beautiful  little  stream. 

Strange  to  say,  this  well  contained  countless  fish, 
which  supplied  both  the  man  and  his  wife  with  an 
abundant  supply  for  their  wants ; but  as  their  possession 
of  these  treasures  depended  on  the  secrecy  which  they 
preserved  respecting  them,  no  one  outside  their  family 
circle  knew  anything  of  them.  A tradition  was  handed 
down  for  ages  through  the  family,  from  father  to  son, 
that  on  the  day  they  showed  the  well  to  strangers  they 
would  be  ruined  and  destroyed. 

“ It  happened,  however,  that  the  wife,  unknown  to 
her  husband,  loved  another  man  in  the  town,  and  by 
and  by,  her  passion  increasing,  she  conveyed  to  him  by 
stealth  some  of  the  delicious  fish  from  the  wonderful 
well.  The  meat  was  so  good,  and  had  such  a novel 
flavor,  that  the  lover  urged  her  to  imform  him  whence, 
and  by  what  means  she  obtained  it.  But  the  fear  of 
dreadful  consequences,  should  she  betray  the  secret  of 
the  well,  constrained  her  for  a time  to  resist  his  eager 
inquiries.  But  she  could  not  retain  the  secret  long, 


TO  NYANGWE. 


183 


and  so,  in  spite  of  all  her  awe  for  the  Muzimu  of  the 
well,  and  her  dread  of  her  husband’s  wrath,  she  at  last 
promised  to  disclose  the  mystery. 

“Now  one  day  the  husband  had  to  undertake  a 
journey  to  Uvinza,  but  before  departure  he  strictly  en- 
joined his  wife  to  look  after  his  house  and  effects,  and 
to  remember  to  be  silent  about  the  fountain,  and  by  no 
means  to  admit  strangers,  or  to  go  a-gadding  with  her 
neighbors  while  he  was  absent.  The  wife  of  course 
promised  to  obey,  but  her  husband  had  been  gone  only 
a few  hours  when  she  went  to  her  lover  and  said,  « My 
husband  is  gone  away  to  Uvinza,  and  will  not  be  back 
for  many  days.  You  have  often  asked  me  whence  I 
obtained  that  delicious  meat  we  ate  together.  Come 
with  me  and  I will  show  you.’  Her  lover  gladly  accom- 
panied her,  and  they  went  into  the  house,  and  the  wife 
feasted  him  with  an  abundance  of  fish  meat.  Then 
when  they  had  eaten,  the  man  requested  to  be  told  the 
secret  of  the  fish,  which  the  wife  promised,  after  making 
him  promise  never  to  divulge  it. 

“ So  they  arose,  and  she  took  him  to  the  enclosure, 
jealously  guarded,  and  taking  his  hand  she  showed  him 
what  appeared  to  be  a circular  pool  of  deep,  clear 
water,  and  said,  ‘ Behold ! this  is  our  wondrous  fountain, 
and  in  this  fountain  are  the  fish. 

“ The  man  had  never  seen  such  things  in  his  life, 
and  his  delight  was  very  great.  He  sat  some  time 
watching  the  fish  leaping  and  chasing  each  other,  but 
when  one  of  the  boldest  of  the  fish  came  near  to  where 
he  was  sitting,  he  suddenly  put  forth  his  hand  to  catch 
it.  Then  was  the  spirit  of  the  well  very  angry,  and  the 
world  cracked  asunder,  and  the  plain  sank  down,  down, 
down,— -the  bottom  cannot  now  be  reached  by  our 
longest  lines — and  the  fountain  overflowed  and  filled 


184 


TO  NYANGWE. 


the  great  gap  made  by  the  earthquake,  and  now  what  do 
you  see  ? The  Tanganyika.  All  the  people  of  the  great 
plain  perished,  and  all  the  houses  and  fields  and  gardens, 
and  all  the  herds  and  flocks,  were  swallowed  up  by  the 
waters. 

“ After  the  husband  had  finished  his  business  in 
Uvinza,  he  began  his  return  journey,  and  suddenly  he 
came  to  some  mountains  he  had  never  seen  before,  and 
from  the  top  of  the  mountains  he  looked  down  upon  a 
great  lake ! So  then  he  knew  that  his  wife  had  dis- 
closed the  secret  of  the  fountain,  and  all  had  perished 
because  of  her  sin ! ” 

Having  set  forth  on  his  tour  of  exploration,  Stan- 
ley traveled  several  days  without  any  incident  worthy  of 
mention.  Approaching  Kiwesa,  which  was  apparently 
a large  village,  he  was  struck  with  the  silence  which 
filled  the  place,  for  which  his  guides  were  unable  to  give 
a reason.  Resolving  to  enter  the  village,  he  armed 
thirty  men,  and  proceeded.  Surmounting  the  high 
ground  whereon  the  village  was  built,  they  saw  a ghast- 
ly scene.  Lying  upon  the  ground,  in  a decomposed 
state,  with  a broad  spear-wound  in  the  back,  was  the 
body  of  a poor  old  man.  A few  yards  farther  on  was  the 
decapitated  corpse  of  another  man,  and  ten  feet  from  it, 
the  bodies  of  three  men  and  one  woman,  one  of  them 
dismembered.  The  defenses  of  the  village  were  broken 
down  and  burnt.  Unharmed  by  fire,  about  fifty  huts 
still  stood,  but  all  the  rest  had  been  destroyed.  Despite 
the  fury  of  the  conflagration,  evidence  still  remained 
that  the  flight  had  been  hasty  and  compulsory.  - All  the 
articles  that  constitute  the  furniture  of  an  African  house- 
hold were  still  scattered  upon  the  ground.  A few 
smoking  rails,  the  warm  hearths,  and  the  dead  not  yet 


TO  NYANGWE. 


185 


putrefied,  bore  testimony  that  this  desolation  had  been 
wrought  recently. 

It  is  the  same  story  throughout  Africa.  Ponda,  the 
chief  of  this  village,  had  doubtless  given  offence  to  some 
enemy,  who  had  retaliated  in  this  barbarous  fashion. 
Thirty  bleached  skulls  before  Ponda’s  own  hut  bore 
evidence  that  Ponda  himself  did  not  fail  to  proceed  to 
such  extremities  in  success. 

Leaving  Kiwesa,  the  party  embarked  for  the  Eugufu 
River.  On  reaching  it  the  guide  sprang  up  in  surprise, 
glanced  about,  and  then  exclaimed  that  the  place  where 
Cameron  had  encamped  was  already  under  water. 

The  voyage  southward  was  continued  without  special 
opposition.  On  one  or  two  occasions  bandits  were 
met,  but  Stanley  managed  affairs  wisely  and  no  hostility 
was  manifested. 

The  scenery  was  magnificent — the  lake  every- 
where girt  by  high  mountains,  now  receding  far  from 
the  lake,  and  sloping  up  into  elevated  table-lands ; now 
rising  in  massive  crags  or  boulder-strewn  beaches, 
directly  from  the  water’s  edge ; here  rising  in  thickly 
wooded  knolls,  and  there  giving  place  to  bosky  brakes 
and  lowlands,  the  haunts  of  myriad  wild  fowl,  as  well  as 
of  nobler  game.  Largely  uninhabited  on  the  southeast, 
the  land  is  a hunter’s  paradise.  The  exploring  party 
lacked  not  for  meat. 

The  extreme  southern  end  of  the  lake  was  a shallow, 
reedy  inlet,  shut  in  by  fantastic  cliffs  that  attracted  the 
attention  of  natives  and  Stanley  alike.  Numerous  dead 
trees  here  stood  well  out  in  the  lake. 

The  imagination  of  the  natives  peoples  the  cliffs  and 
crags  along  the  western  shore,  as  far  as  the  Rufuvu 
River,  with  spirits  and  muzimus  whose  freaks  throw  into 
the  shade  the  tricks  and  capers  of  Scotch  and  Irish 


GRASS  HUT. 


TO  NYANGrWE. 


187 


brownies,  spooks  and  banshees.  Two  gigantic  castle- 
like towers  of  granite,  twelve  hundred  feet  in  height,  are 
thought  to  be  the  abode  of  spirits  who  raise  storms  on 
the  lake,  and  are  accordingly  viewed  with  especial  awe 
and  superstition  by  the  neighboring  tribes.  The  bandits 
of  this  region  invoke  the  spirits  to  wreck  the  boats  of 
traders,  that  they  may  profit  by  the  plunder. 

Reaching  the  Rufuvu  River,  and  comparing  with 
Livingstone’s  notes  of  nine  years  before,  it  was  seen  the 
lake  had  encroached  upon  the  land  one  thousand  yards  ! 
Soon  after  quitting  the  Rufuvu  River,  the  expedition  had 
rough  experience  with  a storm  of  considerable  fury. 
The  boat  flew  over  the  waves  like  a wild  sea-gull,  the 
tempest  howled,  and  the  waters  flew  by  in  great  curling 
crests.  Unable  to  obtain  shelter  till  they  had  rounded  a 
cape,  the  sails  were  set,  lest  they  should  be  swamped, 
and  the  boat  flew  over  the  waves  at  such  speed  as  made 
the  guides  set  their  teeth.  The  wind  rose  to  a hurricane, 
but  they  held  on  with  all  sail,  and  in  fifteen  minutes 
were  safe  in  the  little  creek  behind  the  headland. 
Fortunately,  they  met  with  no  disaster. 

July  15th,  a little  more  than  a month  after  leaving 
Ujiji,  the  Lukuga  was  reached.  Here  again  was  evi- 
dence that  the  lake  was  rising ; and  the  superstitious  old 
chieftain  here  would  have  it  that  the  white  man  (Cam- 
eron) had  effected  this  by  his  “ medicine.”  He  feared 
Stanley  would  do  even  more  fearful  things ; but  the  lat- 
ter managed  to  'laugh  him  out  of  his  suspicions.  A 
careful  examination  of  the  Lukuga  revealed  these  facts : 
The  mouth,  very  wide,  was  almost  closed  by  a bar  of  sand, 
evidently  the  work  of  opposing  currents.  There  was,  at  the 
time  of  the  visit,  no  distinct  current  in  either  direction. 
The  inlet  rapidly  narrowed,  and  at  a distance  of  four 
miles  or  so  from  the  lake  was  completely  closed  by  reeds, 


188 


TO  NYANGWE. 


though  from  seven  to  eleven  feet  deep.  Some  distance 
farther  on,  water  was  found  certainly  flowing  westward. 

Stanley’s  conclusions  were  in  brief  as  follows : 
Having  observed  a chain  of  remarkable  igneous  rocks  in 
the  southern  portion  of  the  lake,  his  opinion  is  that 
the  northern  part  is  of  far  later  date.  The  Lukuga 
was  at  one  time  the  outlet  of  the  southern  lake. 

Some  great  upheaval  and  subsidence  opened  a 
great  channel  or  basin  to  the  north,  thus  greatly  extend- 
ing the  area  and  reducing  the  level.  Since  then  the 
lake  has  been  gradually  filling  up  again,  and  was,  at 
the  time  of  Stanley’s  visit,  almost  ready  to  make  its 
way  out  once  more  through  the  long  useless  and  reed- 
grown  channel  of  the  Lukuga.  The  great  natural  con- 
vulsion which  so  enlarged  the  lake  would  account, 
perhaps,  for  the  strange  Wajiji  legend  of  its  origin. 

The  remainder  of  the  journey  about  the  lake  was 
completed  without  especial  adventure  or  hindrance. 
It  was  everywhere  much  the  same  in  scenery;  high, 
rugged  mountains  alternating  with  alluvial  lowlands, 
reminding  one  somewhat  of  the  bluffs  and  bottoms  of 
our  Western  rivers.  At  one  or  two  places  the  natives 
manifested  a hostile  spirit,  but  were  unable  to  do  the 
party  any  harm. 

On  the  31st  of  July,  after  an  absence  of  fifty-one 
days,  Stanley  arrived  at  Ujiji.  During  this  time,  he 
had  sailed,  without  disaster  or  illness,  a distance  of  810 
miles.  The  entire  coast  line  of  the  Tanganyika  is 
about  930  miles. 

Upon  his  arrival,  Stanley  found  Frank  Pocock  just 
recovering  from  a severe  attack  of  fever.  Small-pox 
had  broken  out  in  the  place,  and  many  had  died.  Five 
of  his  men  were  dead,  and  six  others  were  seriously  ill. 
Foreseeing  some  such  disaster  he  had  previously  vac- 


TO  N YANG  WE. 


189 


cinated,  as  he  thought,  all  hands ; but  it  now  transpired 
that  several,  through  superstitious  prejudice,  had  not 
responded  to  the  call,  and,  consequently,  some  of  them 
had  forfeited  their  lives  The  Arabs  were  dismayed  at 
the  dreadful  pest ; mortality  was  increasing : from  fifty 
to  seventy-five  deaths  occurred  daily  in  a population  of 
three  thousand.  It  was  imperative  to  move  the  expedi- 
tion forward  as  soon  as  possible,  to  avoid  the  effects  of 
the  epidemic.  Stanley  hoped  to  be  able  to  depart  on 
the  17th  of  August,  but  a serious  attack  of  fever  delayed 
him  till  the  25th.  When  mustering  his  forces,  prepara- 
tory to  starting,  he  was  dismayed  to  learn  that  thirty- 
eight  men  had  deserted.  He  learned  from  the  chiefs 
that  the  men  were  nearly  beside  themselves  with  terror 
at  the  reports  they  had  heard  of  cannibals  ahead  of 
them.  Fearing  that  a wholesale  desertion  would  ruin 
him,  he  selected  such  as  did  not  bear  a good  character 
for  fidelity,  and  conducted  them  under  guard  to  the 
transport  canoes.  Those  he  believed  to  be  trustworthy 
he  permitted  to  march  on  land  with  himself.  On  the 
march,  several  more  deserted,  till  Stanley  determined  to 
recover  some  of  the  runaways.  Accordingly,  he  sent  back, 
and,  after  some  trouble,  secured  seven  men,  who,  with  some 
others  arrested  in  the  act  of  desertion,  were  given  mer- 
ited punishment,  which  ended  the  desertions,  and  pre- 
vented the  wreck  of  the  expedition. 

Stanley  had  learned  ere  this  time  that  the  policy 
of  Livingstone  was  entirely  too  mild  for  the  African. 
It  was  responsible  for  the  fact  that  Livingstone  was 
finally  left  with  but  seven  men  out  of  seventy.  Even 
when  a deserter  remained  in  the  same  village,  the  doctor 
would  make  no  effort  to  compel  the  man  to  render  the 
service  for  which  he  had  contracted.  Such  leniency  is 
as  fatal  to  the  leader  of  an  expedition  as  is  the  cruelty 


19© 


TO  N YANG  WE. 


and  rapacity  of  the  Arabs.  Stanley,  while  mild  in  time 
of  peace,  let  his  men  know  in  emergencies  that  he  was 
master.  And  hitherto  he  had  traveled  unfrequented 
routes,  that  opportunities  for  desertion  might  be  rare. 
His  experience  at  Ujiji  shows  what  he  might  have 
expected  had  he  done  otherwise. 

The  party  was  now  under  way  for  the  exploration 
of  the  last  great  unsolved  mystery  of  Livingstone — the 
identity  of  the  river  he  had  traced  from  Lake  Bangweolo 
to  Nyangwe.  Their  general  course  was  northwest,  for 
Manyema,  a land  only  lately  opened  by  the  Arabs,  and 
exceedingly  rich  in  ivory.  The  natives  were  reported  by 
some  to  be  cannibals ; by  others,  to  be  very  mild  and 
pleasant.  But  Arab  cruelty  was  already  making  fearful 
inroads  upon  the  population. 

Arrived  at  Uhombo,  Stanley  was  very  kindly 
treated,  and  loaded  with  provisions.  The  natives, 
though  very  ugly,  and  fearfully  dirty,  yet  possessed 
some  very  pleasing  traits  of  character.  They  were  kind 
to  strangers  and  to  each  other,  full  of  humor  and  good- 
nature, and  very  hospitable  and  industrious  withal. 

It  somewhat  amused  Stanley,  while  he  and  Frank 
were  viewing  these  disgustingly  dirty  and  naked  and  re- 
pulsive creatures,  who  were  clustered  curiously  about 
the  two  white  men,  to  hear  them  wonderingly  question 
if  these  strange  pale  things,  with  long,  sharp  noses,  thin 
lips,  soft,  “ furry  ” heads,  and  bodies  completely  hidden 
by  some  means,  were  really  human  beings ! Stanley 
had  been  rather  loftily  engaged  in  a similar  speculation 
concerning  them. 

Manyema  appeared  to  Stanley  the  most  fertile  dis- 
trict he  had  seen  in  Africa.  Its  next  important  village 
was  Ka-Bambarre,  which,  aside  from  its  natural  attrac- 
tions, was  attractive  to  Stanley  from  having  been  the 


THE  WHITE  MAN  A SHOW. 


192 


TO  NYANGWE. 


residence  of  Dr.  Livingstone  several  months.  Here  he 
halted  for  a few  days.  The  natives  were  a decided  im- 
provement upon  the  Wahombo.  The  chief  himself  was 
nothing  remarkable.  Age  had  marred  his  good  looks ; 
but  about  him  were  some  very  pretty  women,  who  had 
winsome  ways  that  were  quite  charming. 

Traveling  onward  through  different  tribes,  becom- 
ing acquainted  with  some  curious  native  traits,  meeting 
with  no  incident  especially  worthy  of  mention,  Stanley 
at  last  reached  the  confluence  of  the  Lama  with  the 
Lualaba.  For  two  hundred  and  twenty  miles  he  had 
followed  one  of  the  sources  of  the  Livingstone  to  the 
confluence,  and  now  before  him  flowed  the  majestic 
river  itself.  His  task  was  now  to  follow  it  to  the  ocean. 
When  he  entered  the  district  of  Tubanda,  however, 
he  met  an  Arab  trader  named  Tippu-Tib,  who  gave 
much  interesting  as  well  as  discouraging  information 
regarding  the  failure  of  Livingstone  and  Cameron  to 
penetrate  farther  than  this  place.  Here  also  he  met  a 
man,  Abed  by  name,  who  told  him  the  river  flowed 
north  forever,  and  there  was  no  end  to  it.  Abed  also 
gave  a lively  description  of  his  wanderings  and  adven- 
tures in  a land  he  called  the  dwarf  country.  The 
dwarfs,  he  said,  were  a fierce  tribe  of  very  small  people, 
who  shot  poisoned  arrows,  and  ate  men.  He  had  spent 
some  time  in  their  country,  and  had  spent  day  after 
day  in  a continuous  battle.  Aside  from  its  ferocious 
inhabitants,  he  stated  that  the  country  was  full  of  mon- 
strous serpents,  savage  leopards,  and  gorillas.  His 
account  was  detailed  in  an  interesting  manner,  and 
made  a profound  impression  on  his  credulous  listeners. 
But  Stanley  did  not  place  as  much  confidence  in  its 
truth  as  did  the  rest,  and  held  a conference  with  Tippu- 
Tib,  which  resulted  in  an  offer  from  the  Arab  to  con- 


TO  NYANGWE. 


19£ 


duct  him  sixty  marches,  of  four  hours  each,  for  the  sum 
of  five  thousand  dollars,  both  parties  to  be  governed  by 
certain  conditions. 

Stanley  then  held  a long  and  earnest  discussion 
with  Frank  Pocock,  in  which  the  dangers  and  profits 
were  debated  pro  and  con.  They  finally  agreed  to  ac- 
cept the  conditions  asked  by  Tippu-Tib.  Accordingly, 
the  contract  was  written  out  and  duly  signed,  the  condi- 
tions satisfactorily  arranged,  and  once  more  Stanley 
was  ready  to  set  forward. 

At  Kaukumba,  the  boy  Kalulu  met  with  a remark- 
able accident.  A Snyder  rifle  having  been  left  loaded, 
contrary  to  orders,  was  leaning  against  a stack  of  goods, 
when  a man  hurrying  by  accidentally  knocked  it  down. 
Kalulu  was  lying  near  by,  and  the  rifle  exploding,  the 
ball  struck  him,  wounding  him  in  no  less  than  eight 
places.  The  wounds  were  severe,  but  not  dangerous, 
and  were  soon  healed. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


ON  the  27th  of  October  the  party  reached  Nyangwe, 
where  they  were  welcomed  by  the  Arabs,  who 
evinced  much  surprise  at  the  silence  and  disci- 
pline of  Stanley’s  force.  Disorder  and  noise  are  the 
characteristics  of  an  Arab  caravan  in  Africa.  The 
weak  and  sick  are  abandoned;  Arab  dealing  renders 
many  local  tribes  hostile,  causing  to  watch  for  every 
opportunity  of  reprisal.  So  the  march  is  a helter-skelter 
rush;  the  motto,  “The  de’il  tak’  the  hindmost.”  Yet  this 
very  policy  produces  such  frequent  and  long  delays  that 
the  traders  of  Nyangwe  were  greatly  astonished  that 
Stanley  should  perform  in  forty-three  days  what  they 
required  over  three  months  to  accomplish,  and  had, 
moreover,  brought  all  his  sick  with  him. 

Nyangwe  is  the  western-most  trading  station  of  the 
Zanzibar  Arabs.  It  is  comparatively  a new  post,  hav- 
ing been  occupied  first  in  1868.  At  the  time  of  Stan- 
ley’s visit  it  was  the  headquarters  of  a particularly 
villainous  lot  of  Arabs.  The  trader  Tippu-Tib,  or  Ha- 
med  bin  Mohammed,  would  not  consort  with  them.  The 
population  of  the  neighborhood  was  already  lessened 
from  42,000  to  20,000.  The  Arabs  had  murdered 
many,  enslaved  others,  and  others  had  left  the  country. 
One  of  the  Arabs,  Mtagamoyo,  was  a most  blood- 

(194) 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


195 


thirsty  and  cruel  wretch.  Tippu-Tib  said  of  him,  “ He 
is  brave,  no  doubt,  but  he  is  a man  whose  heart  is  not  as 
big  as  the  end  of  my  little  finger.  He  lias  no  feeling ; 
he  kills  a native  as  though  he  were  a serpent- — it  mat- 
ters not  of  what  sex.” 

Nyangwe  has  a great  daily  market,  at  which  thou- 
sands gather  from  the  surrounding  country,  with  all 
manner  of  wares  for  sale.  An  animated  scene  it  is.  It 
was  at  one  of  these  markets  that  Livingstone  saw  an 
Arab  wantonly  fire  his  gun  into  a crowd  of  chattering 
women.  Others  joined  in,  and  there  was  an  indiscrim- 
inate massacre.  Hundreds  of  the  wretched  creatures 
attempted  to  swim  the  river.  Some  succeeded;  very 
many  were  shot  as  they  swam ; hundreds  sank — a few 
quietly,  many  throwing  up  their  arms  with  a last  wail  of 
agony.  Such  is  the  Arab  in  Africa.  Imagine  the  feel- 
ings of  Livingstone,  eye-witness  of  the  horrible  scene, 
and  powerless  to  prevent  it. 

At  Nyangwe,  the  members  of  the  expedition  were 
mustered,  and  it  was  found  they  numbered  154,  while 
the  inventory  of  weapons  showed  29  Snider  rifles,  32 
muskets,  2 Winchesters,  2 double-barreled  guns,  10  re- 
volvers, and  68  axes.  Out  of  this  number  of  64  guns 
only  40  were  borne  by  trustworthy  men.  The  large 
force  brought  by  Tippu-Tib  quite  encouraged  all,  and 
they  unanimously  professed  their  readiness  to  proceed. 

On  the  5th  of  November,  18T6,  the  expedition  left 
Nyangwe,  and  marched  eleven  days  through  a damp, 
dismal  forest.  Wearily  they  plodded  on,  seeing  now  a 
huge  python,  and  again  other  varieties  of  serpents,  en- 
countering numbers  of  ° monkeys,  and  meeting  with 
hardships  which  fast  took  the  courage  out  of  the  men. 
Stanley  himself  had  worn  out  his  shoes,  and  had  trav- 
eled bare-foot  till  he  was  compelled  to  draw  out  his  last 


1 1PPU-TIB'S  TVOBY. 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


197 


pair  from  the  stores.  Frank  was  also  wearing  his  last 
pair.  The  forest  was  dense,  dark,  dank;  seldom  could 
they  tell  if  the  day  was  sunny  or  no ; everything  dripped 
and  plashed  with  dew ; the  path  was  clayey  and  slip- 
pery; the  undergrowth  retarded  every  step.  Tippu- 
Tib  said  he  had  no  idea  the  forest  was  so  thick  and 
gloomy.  And  in  these  fastnesses  no  breath  of  fresh  air 
could  penetrate.  Above,  the  storm  might  rage ; but  in 
the  jungle  depths,  its  presence  could  be  known  only  by  its 
roar.  The  atmosphere  was  close,  hot,  stifling.  Man 
and  master  lost  their  temper.  Axe  men  were  sent  ahead, 
to  open  a narrow  way,  for  the  boat -bearers  were  com- 
plaining bitterly.  So  impenetrable  these  forests  that  the 
natives  on  the  outskirts  scarce  knew  they  were  inhabited. 
Eleven  days  march ; scarcely  seventy  miles  ! 

At  last,  Tippu-Tib  quite  gave  out,  and  begged 
Stanley  to  annul  the  contract.  Stanley,  foreseeing  that 
it  would  break  up  the  expedition  should  Tippu-Tib  re- 
tire now,  altered  his  plan  somewhat,  and  offered  a new 
arrangement.  For  two  hours  he  argued  the  matter,  and 
at  last  persuaded  Tippu-Tib  to  proceed  twenty  marches 
farther. 

The  next  day  brought  them  to  a Wavinza  village, 
where  Stanley  was  astonished  at  the  vast  number  of 
skulls  scattered  about.  Inquiring  what  they  were,  he 
was  told  4 4 meat  of  the  forest.”  Asking  for  a specimen 
of  this  meat,  he  obtained  a portion  of  skin  with  a dark 
gray  fur,  and  two  skulls.  The  Arabs  carelessly  sup- 
posed them  chimpanzee  skulls ; but  Prof.  Huxley,  when 
they  were  shown  to  him,  pronounced  them  certainly  hu- 
man. Stanley  was  now  among  professional  cannibals. 
A new  danger  Was  to  be  constantly  encountered  hence- 
forth. The  caravan  was  approaching  a people  who 
would  regard  it  as  a herd  of  meat ! 


198 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


On  the  19th,  having  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  Stanley  was  watching  the  majestic  flow  of  the  cur- 
rent, when  it  occurred  to  him  to  make  canoes,  and  jour- 
ney down  the  stream,  and  thus  avoid  the  toilsome  land 
marches.  Calling  his  people  together,  he  made  known 
his  intention,  and  addressed  them  concerning  the  project. 
Many  dissented,  and  in  response  to  his  call  for  those 
who  were  willing  to  stand  by  him,  only  thirty-eight  came 
forth. 

The  assembly  dispersed,  while  several  remained  to 
persuade  Stanley  not  to  attempt  anything  so  rash.  He 
was  fixed  in  his  determination,  however,  and  so  expressed 
himself. 

Meanwhile,  a canoe  bearing  two  men  advanced  from 
the  opposite  shore.  Friendly  advances  were  now  made 
to  them,  but  they  only  scorned  them,  and  departed  sing- 
ing a wild,  weird  note,  Ooh-hu-hu-hu ! which  the  inter- 
preter said  was  a war  cry.  Launching  his  boat,  Stanley 
took  a company  of  men  and  crossed  over,  and  held  a 
consultation  with  the  natives,  which  resulted  in  a prom- 
ise from  them  to  perform  the  ceremony  of  blood-brother- 
hood with  him.  For  this  purpose,  their  chief  was  to 
proceed  in  the  morning  to  an  island  in  the  river,  there 
to  meet  the  “ white  chief”  and  perform  the  ceremony. 
Each  was  to  be  accompanied  by  only  ten  men.  Fear- 
ing treachery,  Stanley  landed  a party  of  twenty  men 
under  Kacheche  on  the  island  before  daybreak,  he  him- 
self hiding  with  a boat-load  higher  up,  while  Frank 
acted  as  the  great  white  chief,  and  went  with  ten  men 
to  perform  the  ceremony.  This  proved  to  be  a wise 
precaution,  and  by  it  the  lives  of  many  were  saved. 
Foiled  in  their  attempt  to  kill  the  party,  the  natives  as- 
sumed a more  friendly  bearing,  and  assisted  in  trans- 
porting the  expedition.  This  was  merely  to  get  the  cara- 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


199 


van  in  their  power.  The  next  morning  not  a native  was 
to  be  seen  in  any  of  i he  near  villages.  As  the  caravan 
struck  camp,  and  floated  down  the  river,  from  the  vil- 
lages below  came  the  booming  of  drums,  and  the  wild  weird 
war  cry.  At  sight  of  the  expedition,  the  natives  rushed 
off  into  the  forest  as  if  they  were  frightened,  very  likely 
with  a view  to  inducing  them  to  land.  Stanley  held  on 
his  course  and  halted  on  the  23d  of  November,  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  the  land  division,  as  they  would  need  the 
boats  in  order  to  cross  the  Ruiki  river.  On  the  next 
day,  no  news  having  been  obtained  of  them,  Stanley 
manned  the  boat  and  rowed  ten  miles  up  the  stream, 
hoping  to  hear  of  the  missing  ones.  After  rowing  an 
hour  and  a half  on  the  return  trip,  he  was  startled  by 
hearing  guns  fired  rapidly.  As  there  was  no  reason  why 
guns  should  be  fired  save  for  defense,  he  urged  the  crew 
to  all  speed,  that  they  might  arrive  in  time  to  render 
assistance.  In  a short  time  they  saw  the  mouth  'of  the 
Ruiki  blocked  with  canoes  filled  with  savages,  launching 
spears  and  shooting  arrows.  With  a loud  shout,  Stan- 
ley’s men  dashed  straight  down  on  them,  when  the  sav- 
ages immediately  turned  and  fled  down  stream.  The 
encounter  had  only  been  in  progress  a few  minutes,  and 
fortunately  no  one  of  the  expedition  was  hurt. 

Night  came  on  but  still  nothing  was  heard  of  the 
land  party.  Early  in  the  morning,  Uledi  was  sent  with 
five  men  to  search  for  them.  He  returned  in  the  after- 
noon, followed  by  the  missing  ones,  weary,  haggard,  low- 
spirited,  and  sick.  They  had  wandered  from  their  way, 
and  had  been,  attacked  by  savages,  who  killed  three  of 
them.  The  entire  party  was  soon  transported  to  the 
left  bank  of  the  Ruiki. 

Stanley’s  people  were  now  suffering  from  the  effects 
of  the  march.  All  felt  the  pangs  of  hunger,  as  the  na- 


200 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


tives  would  not  trade,  and  Stanley  relaxed  his  rule  that 
no  one  should  appropriate  food  without  payment : for  a 
hungry  stomach  knows  no  law.  Many  suffered  from 
ulcers  occasioned  by  thorn  wounds.  Small-pox  and  dys- 
entery were  at  work.  Some  abandoned  canoes  were  re- 
paired and  lashed  together,  and  a floating  hospital  estab- 
lished. 

On  the  next  day,  November  27th,  they  reached 
some  rapids,  where  the  land  division  was  halted,  with 
the  strictest  orders  not  to  permit  anyone  on  any  ac- 
count to  move  from  camp  till  Stanley  should  return 
from  a voyage  of  exploration  down  the  river.  The  in- 
spection of  the  river  took  him  about  two  miles  down  the 
stream,  where  he  nearly  fell  into  a trap.  In  a small 
creek,  concealed  by  high  banks  and  thick  vegetation, 
were  some  forty  or  fifty  canoes,  the  crews  all  seated, 
silently  watching  the  river.  Stanley  instantly  re- 
treated, without  disturbing  them,  and  hurried  back  to 
camp.  On  arriving  at  the  boat,  he  was  alarmed  to  find 
Frank  had  allowed  Manwa  Sera,  the  chief,  with  five 
others,  to  take  two  canoes  and  descend  the  rapids.  Be- 
membering  the  ambuscade,  Stanley  hastily  selected 
fifty  men,  and  hurried  thither.  When  he  reached  the' 
creek,  it  was  empty.  He  then  offered  high  rewards  to 
the  first  one  who  should  sight  the  men.  Uledi,  with  three 
others,  gave  wild  yells,  and  dashed  forward  through 
the  jungle.  Soon  some  startling  gun-shots  rang  through 
the  forest.  The  rest  rushed  to  the  spot,  and  saw  the 
Wangwana  in  mid- stream,  riding  on  the  keels  of  the 
upset  canoes,  while  they  were  attacked  by  a half  dozen 
native  canoes.  Uledi  and  his  companions  had  in- 
stantly opened  fire  on  the  latter,  and  thus  saved  the 
lives  of  their  comrades.  The  men  were  all  saved, 
but  four  Snider  rifles  were  lost;  a serious  matter  in 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


201 


the  present  weakened  condition  of  the  force.  For 
this  act  of  disobedience  Stanley  administered  a sharp 
rebuke,  which  was  so  keenly  felt  that  Manwa  Sera 
went  to  Tippu-Tib’s  camp,  and  sent  word  to  Stan- 
ley’s camp  that  he  would  serve  him  no  longer.  Stan- 
ley laughed,  knowing  it  was  merely  wounded  pride 
and  momentary  sulkiness.  Without  mishap  they  con- 
tinued on,  till,  on  the  4th  of  December,  they  came 
to  a remarkably  long  village,  or,  *rather,  a number  of 
villages,  from  fifty'  to  a hundred  yards  apart,  and  a 
broad,  uniform  street,  thirty  feet  wide  and  two  miles 
long ! 

This  town,  called  Ikondu,  was  quite  deserted, 
but  food  was  abundant.  The  expedition  was  very 
much  dispirited,  despite  the  plentiful  supply  of  pro- 
visions obtained.  The  small-pox  was  raging,  dysentery 
had  many  victims,  over  fifty  were  infected  with  the 
itch,  some  twenty  suffered  from  ulcers,  many  com- 
plained of  chest  diseases,  pneumonic  fever  and  pleu- 
risies ; there  was  a case  or  two  of  typhoid  fever,  and, 
in  short,  there  was  work  enough  for  a dozen  physi- 
cians. Every  day,  two  or  three  bodies  were  tossed 
into  the  river. 

At  Ikondu,  there  was  a large  canoe,  with  great 
holes  in  its  keel  and  traces  of  decay  in  its  shaky  sides. 
Stanley  overhauled  it,  patched  the  holes  as  well  as  he 
was  able,  strengthened  the  crazy  craft,  and-  placed  the 
sick  in  it.  It  still  leaked  more  than  was  agreeable,  but 
some  of  the  “ hospital  brigade  ” were  able  to  bail  enough 
to  insure  safety. 

Three  days  later  the  expedition  went  down  stream 
and  camped  at  Unya  N’singe.  They  had  not  been  long 
there,  before  the  war  horns  sounded  along  the  right 
bank,  and  soon  fourteen  large  canoes  approached. 


202 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


The  crews  were  told  that  the  expedition  had  not  come  in- 
tending to  fight,  and  would  not  fight.  This  announce- 
ment was  greeted  with  wild  yells,  and  instantly  the 
enemy  dashed  forward.  Stanley  disposed  his  men 
along  the  bank  and  waited.  Coming  within  about 
thirty  yards  of  the  shore,  half  of  the  men  in  each  canoe 
began  to  shoot  their  poisoned  arrows,  the  other  half  con- 
tinuing to  paddle  in  shore.  Just  as  they  were  begin- 
ning to  land,  command  to  fire  was  given  to  about  thirty 
muskets,  and  the  savages  fell  back,  retiring  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  yards,  where  they  kept  up  the  fight. 
Ch  Dosing  the  boat’s  crew,  Stanley  dashed  out  in  mid- 
stream, to  the  great  delight  of  the  savages,  who  seemed 
to  think  them  an  easy  prey.  In  a few  moments  the 
guns  did  terrible  execution,  and  the  discomfited  savages 
hastily  pulled  away  down  stream.  This  terminated  the 
affair,  and  left  Stanley  a clear  field. 

For  some  time  he  continued  down  the  river  unmo- 
lested by  the  savages,  but  rapidly  decimated  by  the 
small-pox.  One  day  a shriek  of  agony  was  heard  from 
one  of  the  men,  who  had  been  struck  in  the  breast  by 
an  arrow.  Landing  at  once,  a brush  stockade  was  hastily 
constructed,  while  ten  scouts  with  Sniders  kept  guard. 
Soon  a second  cry  was  heard,  followed  immediately  by 
the  report  of  the  scouts’  Sniders,  succeeded  by  an  infer- 
nal din  of  war-horns  and  yells,  while  arrows  flew  past 
in  all  directions.  Twenty  men  were  at  once  sent  into 
the  jungle  to  assist  the  scouts,  while  the  remaining 
force  labored  with  might  and  main  to  surround  the  in- 
tended camp  with  a dense  hedge  of  brush- wood. 

About  fifty  yards  of  ground  around  the  camp  had 
been  cleared,  and  upon  the  retreat  of  the  scouts  who 
had  been  keeping  them  in  check,  was  soon  filled  with 
savages.  At  such  close  quarters  the  contest  soon  be- 


FORTIFIED  CAMP. 


204  WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 

came  terrific.  Again  and  again  the  savages  hu 
themselves  upon  the  stockade,  each  time  to  be  repulsed. 
For  two  hours  this  desperate  battle  raged.  At  last  the 
savages  retreated  from  the  vicinity  of  the  clearing,  but 
still  kept  up  a hideous  din  with  their  ivory  horns. 

The  night  was  passed  in  sleepless  vigilance.  Once 
the  cannibals  endeavored  to  surprise  the  camp  by 
stealth,  but  they  were  detected,  and  a short  but  sharp 
midnight  conflict  ensued.  The  savages  were  driven 
„ back.  Early  in  the  morning,  while  the  cooks  prepared 
breakfast  under  the  shelter  of  the  high  bank,  Stanley 
went  out  in  the  boat  to  reconnoitre.  He  discovered,  to 
his  surprise,  a large  town  a quarter  of  a mile  below,  con- 
sisting of  numerous  adjacent  villages  embowered  in 
fruit-trees.  Returning  to  camp,  he  hastily  loaded  all 
the  people  and  baggage,  and  made  all  speed  toward  the 
village.  Landing,  they  rushed  up  the  steep  bank,  and 
cutting  down  some  trees  at  each  end  of  the  single  street 
of  the  deserted  village,  soon  made  it  perfectly  defensible. 
The  inhabitants  were  all  away  at  the  scene  of  battle, 
but  soon  rushed  down,  and  strove  desperately  to  dis- 
lodge the  expedition.  The  combat  lasted  until  noon, 
when  twenty-five  men  made  a sally  out  of  the  village  and 
dispersed  the  savages.  This  ended  the  fight  for  the  day. 
The  travelers  'employed  themselves  in  clearing  away 
the  grass  for  a hundred  yards  or  so,  and  in  erecting 
“ crow-nests  ” to  be  filled  with  sharpshooters.  The 
location  was  good,  and  it  was  decided  to  await  here  the 
land-party,  and  look  after  the  sick.  Several  had  died 
of  small-pox  within  twenty-four  hours.  The  party  was 
in  a pitiable  plight. 

The  next  morning  an  assault  was  made,  but  the 
savages  were  quickly  repulsed,  when  they  retired  into 
the  jungle,  where  they  maintained  with  great  spirit  a 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


205 


k.  ic  horn-blowing  and  yelling.  Their  wild  war  cry 
was  different  from  that  of  the  savages  above.  The 
“Ooh-hu-hus  ” were  past,  and  the  party  were  now 
among  the  terrific  “ Bo-bo-ers.”  These  savages  could 
easily  give  points  to  the  American  college  boys  in  de- 
vising an  appropriate  yell. 

About  noon,  an  immense  flotilla  of  canoes,  contain- 
ing hundreds  of  men,  came  down  the  river  and  began  an 
assault.  At  the  same  time,  the  savages  on  land  began 
to  storm  the  village  on  all  sides.  The  battle  continued 
for  half  an  hour  with  desperate  energy,  yet  what  might 
have  been  the  ultimate  result  is  doubtful,  had  not  the 
advance  guard  of  Tippu-Tib’s  land  division  arrived  at 
this  critical  juncture.  This  materially  changed  the 
aspect  of  affairs,  and  soon  the  savages  retired  dis- 
comfited. 

Stanley  then  determined  to  make  an  expedition 
that  night,  intending,  if  possible,  to  seize  all  canoes  in 
reach,  thus  effectually  stopping  the  engagement  by 
water.  The  night  came,  bringing  intense  darkness, 
and  considerable  rain ; this  was  admirably  suited  to 
their  purpose.  Accordingly,  setting  out  with  oars  muffled, 
Frank  Pocock  took  up  his  position  below  the  camp  of 
the  savages,  having  in  charge  four  canoes,  and  about 
twenty  trusty  men.  Stanley  ascended  the  stream,  and, 
coming  opposite  the  rendezvous  of  the  savages,  cut 
rapidly  across  the  river  and  rowed  cautiously  in  to  the 
shore,  discovering  eight  large  canoes,  each  tied  to  a 
stake.  These  were  soon  set  free  and  pushed  far  out 
into  the  stream.  Four  others  were  found  and  released 
a short  distance  below.  They  then  found  the  savages 
were  camped  still  farther  down  the  river.  Proceeding 
with  the  utmost  caution,  they  were  successful  in  setting 
adrift  all  the  canoes,  when  they  hastened  to  where 


204 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


came  terrific.  Again  and  again  the  savages  hurled 
themselves  upon  the  stockade,  each  time  to  be  repulsed. 
For  two  hours  this  desperate  battle  raged.  At  last  the 
savages  retreated  from  the  vicinity  of  the  clearing,  but 
still  kept  up  a hideous  din  with  their  ivory  horns. 

The  night  was  passed  in  sleepless  vigilance.  Once 
the  cannibals  endeavored  to  surprise  the  camp  by 
stealth,  but  they  were  detected,  and  a short  but  sharp 
midnight  conflict  ensued.  The  savages  were  driven 
back.  Early  in  the  morning,  while  the  cooks  prepared 
breakfast  under  the  shelter  of  the  high  bank,  Stanley 
went  out  in  the  boat  to  reconnoitre.  ITe  discovered,  to 
his  surprise,  a large  town  a quarter  of  a mile  below,  con- 
sisting of  numerous  adjacent  villages  embowered  in 
fruit-trees.  Eeturning  to  camp,  he  hastily  loaded  all 
the  people  and  baggage,  and  made  all  speed  toward  the 
village.  Landing,  they  rushed  up  the  steep  bank,  and 
cutting  down  some  trees  at  each  end  of  the  single  street 
of  the  deserted  village,  soon  made  it  perfectly  defensible. 
The  inhabitants  were  all  away  at  the  scene  of  battle, 
but  soon  rushed  down,  and  strove  desperately  to  dis- 
lodge the  expedition.  The  combat  lasted  until  noon, 
when  twenty-five  men  made  a sally  out  of  the  village  and 
dispersed  the  savages.  This  ended  the  fight  for  the  day. 
The  travelers  employed  themselves  in  clearing  away 
the  grass  for  a hundred  yards  or  so,  and  in  erecting 
“ crow-nests  ” to  be  filled  with  sharpshooters.  The 
location  was  good,  and  it  was  decided  to  await  here  the 
land-party,  and  look  after  the  sick.  Several  had  died 
of  small-pox  within  twenty-four  hours.  The  party  was 
in  a pitiable  plight. 

The  next  morning  an  assault  was  made,  but  the 
savages  were  quickly  repulsed,  when  they  retired  into 
the  jungle,  where  they  maintained  with  great  spirit  a 


I 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


205 


terrific  horn-blowing  and  yelling.  Their  wild  war  cry 
was  different  from  that  of  the  savages  above.  The 
“ Ooh-hu-hus  ” were  past,  and  the  party  were  now 
among  the  terrific  “ Bo-bo-ers.5’  These  savages  could 
easily  give  points  to  the  American  college  boys  in  de- 
vising an  appropriate  yell. 

About  noon,  an  immense  flotilla  of  canoes,  contain- 
ing hundreds  of  men,  came  down  the  river  and  began  an 
assault.  At  the  same  time,  the  savages  on  land  began 
to  storm  the  village  on  all  sides.  The  battle  continued 
for  half  an  hour  with  desperate  energy,  yet  what  might 
have  been  the  ultimate  result  is  doubtful,  had  not  the 
advance  guard  of  Tippu-Tib’s  land  division  arrived  at 
this  critical  juncture.  This  materially  changed  the 
aspect  of  affairs,  and  soon  the  savages  retired  dis- 
comlited. 

Stanley  then  determined  to  make  an  expedition 
that  night,  intending,  if  possible,  to  seize  all  canoes  in 
reach,  thus  effectually  stopping  the  engagement  by 
water.  The  night  came,  bringing  intense  darkness, 
and  considerable  rain ; this  was  admirably  suited  to 
their  purpose.  Accordingly,  setting  out  with  oars  muffled, 
Frank  Pocoek  took  up  his  position  below  the  camp  of 
the  savages,  having  in  charge  four  canoes,  and  about 
twenty  trusty  men.  Stanley  ascended  the  stream,  and, 
coming  opposite  the  rendezvous  of  the  savages,  cut 
rapidly  across  the  river  and  rowed  cautiously  in  to  the 
shore,  discovering  eight  large  canoes,  each  tied  to  a 
stake.  These  were  soon  set  free  and  pushed  far  out 
into  the  stream.  Four  others  were  found  and  released 
a short  distance  below.  They  then  found  the  savages 
were  camped  still  farther  down  the  river.  Proceeding 
with  the  utmost  caution,  they  were  successful  in  setting 
adrift  all  the  canoes,  when  they  hastened  to  where 


206 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 

Frank  was  stationed,  whom  they  found  being  borne 
the  river  by  the  weight  of  so  many  canoes.  These  were 
all  shortly  landed,  terminating  a very  successful 
night  expedition,  thirty-six  having  been  captured. 

In  the  morning  Stanley  again  rowed  back  to  the 
island,  and  found  it  all  but  abandoned.  Only  a few 
savages  were  left,  and  to  them  he  proposed  terms.  The 
savages,  being  rendered  almost  powerless  by  the  loss  of 
the  canoes,  soon  made  an  amicable  settlement  of  their 
difficulties.  The  loss  to  Stanley  in  all  this  desperate 
encounter  was  four  killed,  and  thirteen  wounded,  while 
he  retained  twenty-three  of  the  captured  canoes  as  com- 
pensation. 

On  the  22d  of  December,  Tippu-Tib  and  his  con- 
federates declared  their  intention  of  abandoning  the 
expedition.  The  incessant  hostilities  and  numerous 
privations  had  utterly  discouraged  them,  and  no  amount 
of  persuasion  could  induce  them  to  proceed.  Accord- 
ingly, Stanley  consented  to  release  them  from  their  en- 
gagement, though  eight  marches  were  lacking,  and  to 
pay  them  for  services  already  rendered,  on  condition 
they  would  use  their  influence  with  the  Wangwana  to 
induce  them  to  continue  with  Stanley.  To  this  they 
agreed,  and  Stanley,  in  consideration  of  the  many  hard- 
ships they  had  borne,  rewarded  them  liberally. 

Stanley’s  captains  were  firm  in  their  determina- 
tion to  follow  him.  The  two  years  of  association  with 
that  indomitable  spirit  had  given  them  faith  in  him, 
and  also  self-reliance.  They  would  show  the  faint- 
hearted Wanyamwezi  of  what  stuff  they  were  made. 
They  would  go,  though  every  man  of  the  rank  and  file 
should  turn  back  in  fear.  Inspiriting  speeches  were 
made  to  the  subordinates.  The  camp  was  separated 
from  Tippu-Tib’s  on  the  27th  of  December.  In  the 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


207 


meantime,  provisions  were  gathered  and  canoes  re- 
paired. 

Christmas  day  was  spent  in  enjoyment;  feasting  and 
games  were  the  order  of  the  day.  The  next  day  Tippu- 
Tib  feasted  the  company,  and  the  separation  took  place. 
Stanley  and  his  men  were  ready  to  launch  out  into  the 
unknown  ! ! 


206 


WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


Frank  was  stationed,  whom  they  found  being  borne  down 
the  river  by  the  weight  of  so  many  canoes.  These  were 
all  shortly  landed,  terminating  a very  successful 
night  expedition,  thirty-six  having  been  captured. 

In  the  morning  Stanley  again  rowed  back  to  the 
island,  and  found  it  all  but  abandoned.  Only  a few 
savages  were  left,  and  to  them  he  proposed  terms.  The 
savages,  being  rendered  almost  powerless  by  the  loss  of 
the  canoes,  soon  made  an  amicable  settlement  of  their 
difficulties.  The  loss  to  Stanley  in  all  this  desperate 
encounter  was  four  killed,  and  thirteen  wounded,  while 
he  retained  twenty-three  of  the  captured  canoes  as  com- 
pensation. 

On  the  22d  of  December,  Tippu-Tib  and  his  con- 
federates declared  their  intention  of  abandoning  the 
expedition.  The  incessant  hostilities  and  numerous 
privations  had  utterly  discouraged  them,  and  no  amount 
of  persuasion  could  induce  them  to  proceed.  Accord- 
ingly, Stanley  consented  to  release  them  from  their  en- 
gagement, though  eight  marches  were  lacking,  and  to 
pay  them  for  services  already  rendered,  on  condition 
they  would  use  their  influence  with  the  Wangwana  to 
induce  them  to  continue  with  Stanley.  To  this  they 
agreed,  and  Stanley,  in  consideration  of  the  many  hard- 
ships they  had  borne,  rewarded  them  liberally. 

Stanley’s  captains  were  firm  in  their  'determina- 
tion to  follow  him.  The  two  years  of  association  with 
that  indomitable  spirit  had  given  them  faith  in  him, 
and  also  self-reliance.  They  would  show  the  faint- 
‘ hearted  Wanyamwezi  of  what  stuff  they  wTere  made. 
They  would  go,  though  every  man  of  the  rank  and  file 
should  turn  back  in  fear.  Inspiriting  speeches  were 
made  to  the  subordinates.  The  camp  was  separated 
from  Tippu-Tib’s  on  the  27th  of  December.  In  the 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


HERE  are  unsuspected  crises  in  the  life  of  every 
f man,  when  the  whole  course  of  his  future  de- 
pends upon  the  action  of  a moment.  It  is 
not  safe  to  say  that  many  men  have  no  influence 
whatever  upon  the  destinies  of  others,  but  there  are 
certain  men  who  have  come  into  prominence  as  of 
special  importance  to  their  fellows.  In  the  case  of  such 
there  are  turning-points,  when  the  future  of  a nation  or 
of  a continent  lies  covered  in  the  balance.  Such  a 
period  was  that  day  in  early  October,  13:92,  when  the 
anxious  Columbus  asked  of  his  mutinous  crew  for  only 
three  days  more  in  which  to  prosecute  his,  to  them  chi- 
merical, search.  Such  a period  was  that  in  which 
Hernando  Cortez  burned  his  ships,  to  frustrate  his  mu- 
tinous followers,  and  left  the  little  band  the  alterna- 
tive to  conquer  Mexico  or  die.  Such  a period  was  the 
day  that  Pizarro,  on  the  isle  of  Gallo,  drew  a line  upon 
the  sand,  and  asked  which  of  his  men  would  follow 
him:  and,  with  the  thirteen  who  came  to  his  side,  set 
forth  to  overturn  the  mighty  empire  of  the  Incas. 

But  in  the  case  of  the  man  whose  fortunes  we  fol- 
low, still  higher  honor  is  deserved,  for  he  battles  with 
greater  odds.  Columbus,  Cortez,  Pizarro — they  were 
followed  by  men  of  their  own  race,  kindred  spirits,  men 
fired  by  similar  ambition,  and,  in  the  case  of  the  two 

(208) 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


209 


latter,  of  sympathy  for  their  leader’s  object,  and  merely 
temporarily  discouraged.  But  Stanley  leads  a horde  of 
hireling  freedmen,  who  neither  understand  nor  care  for 
the  white  man’s  curiosity  for  mountains  and  rivers,  for 
valleys  and  plains.  In  all  his  troop,  his  English  com- 
panion is  the  only  congenial  spirit.  Yet  we  shall  see, 
in  the  days  to  come,  how  the  spirit  of  the  master 
wrought  upon  his  followers,  and  brought  to  light  in  the 
despised  son  of  Ham  the  noblest  qualities  the  Caucasian 
can  boast.  Toussaint  L’Ouverture  never  accomplished 
feat  like  this ; for  he  dealt  with  his  own  countrymen, 
and  with  men  fired  by  the  same  zeal  for  freedom,  slaves 
and  outcasts  though  they  were. 

Already  he  had  a foretaste  of  the  fearful  odds  against 
him.  One  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above 
the  sea  ! There  were  then  cataracts  to  be  encountered, 
and  who  could  tell  how  many  or  how  great  ? Cannibals 
—men  who  regarded  the  troop  as  so  much  provision,  to 
be  slaughtered  and  stored— already  swarmed  about 
them.  What  was  the  river? — the  Nile,  Niger,  or  Congo ? 
That  was  the  very  question  to  be  settled. 

Search  the  pages  of  history,  and  find  if  ever  man 
battled  against  greater  odds,  in  nobler  cause.  The 
souls  of  Africa’s  millions  are  in  the  balance,  as  he  parts 
from  Tippu  Tib’s  escort,  and  turns  to  regions  never 
before  trodden  by  white  explorer  and  Arab  trader,  and 
renders  it  folly  to  dream  of  return,  and  almost  reckless- 
ness to  push  on.  Never  before  in  the  history  of  Africa 
had  traveler  undertaken  such  a task.  Hardly  a region 
hitherto  explored  but  had  first  been  visited  by  Portu- 
guese or  Arab  trader. 

The  separation  is  over;  the  expedition  floats  out 
into  the  unknown,  to  brave  its  perils  and  terrors  alone. 
They  number  140  souls;  not  a few  are  sick  and  dis- 


210 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


abled.  In  silence  and  gloom  they  set  forth.  The  song 
of  bravado  or  of  mirth  dies  away ; the  party  is  depressed 
and  awe-stricken  by  the  murmur  of  the  stream,  the 
frown  of  the  impenetrable  forest,  and  the  mysterious, 
uncanny  fear  of  the  unseen  regions  beyond.  But  the 
spell  cannot  last.  The  shore  resounds  once  more  with 
cries  of  capnibal  savages,  and  booming  of  war-drums ; 
a score  of  canoes,  long,  brown,  teeming  with  barbarians, 
dart  forth — overtures  of  peace  are  scorned — spears  and 
arrows  flash  and  fly — cries  of  “ Meat ! Meat ! ” echo  and 
re-echo — the  roar  of  two-score  muskets  joins  in  the  din, 
and  the  discomfited  savages  are  hurled  back  in  confu- 
sion. Their  prey  has  escaped.  The  river  is  clear. 

The  elements  also  were  against  the  wanderers.  A 
storm  on  the  last  day  of  the  year  swamped  two  canoes, 
drowning  two  men,  and  losing  two  bags  of  beads  and 
four  muskets.  Bations  would  be  short  ere  the  party 
reached  the  sea,  and  weapons  of  defense  were  already 
distressingly  few. 

For  a few  days  the  expedition  incurred  no  serious 
molestation  from  the  natives.  Once  or  twice  some 
fighting  occurred,  but  the  contests  were  short  and  de- 
cisive. Some  cannibals,  encountered  upon  the  first 
day  of  January,  styled  the  party  “Wajiwa,”  or  “chil- 
dren of  the  Sun” — presumably  because  they  came  from 
the  east,  and  used  such  strange  and  mysterious  weapons 
as  guns. 

In  contrast  with  the  hostility  of  these  people  was 
the  amusingly  timid  friendliness  manifested  by  a tribe 
reached  a day  or  two  later.  Canoes  were  sighted  below 
the  party,  which  kept  at  a safe  distance  in  advance, 
the  crews  responding  enthusiastically,  however,  to 
the  cries  of  “ Sen-nen-neh ! ” (peace)  with  which 
they  were  greeted.  Arriving  at  their  village,  they 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


211 


halted,  and  the  “ great  white  chief  ” drew  near,  and 
began  a most  expressive  pantomime  to  make  known  his 
famished  condition,  and  his  good-will  to  all  men,  and 
to  these  natives  in  particular.  He  and  his  people  were 
far  from  their  homes,  and  were  seeking  to  reach  them 
by  way  of  the  great  river.  A general  stir  of  sympathy 
is  manifest  in  the  throng  on  the  shore.  Beads  are 
held  up  in  great  variety  by  the  travelers.  The  natives 
collect  provisions,  and  put  them  in  a canoe  in  charge 
of  two  women,  who  coquettishly  and  slowly  approach, 
Stanley  the  meanwhile  holding  out  the  beads  with  ach- 
ing arm,  and  talking  volubly  “of  the  happiness  he  felt 
at  the  sight  of  two  such  beautiful  women  coming  out  to 
see  the  white  chief,  who  was  so  good,  and  who  loved  to 
talk  to  beautiful  women.”  This  to  two  naked  barbarian 
negresses ! “Man  is  the  same  the  world  over” — and  so 
is  woman. 

Friendly  relations  being  firmly  established,  the 
natives  swarmed  around  the  expedition  with  no  fur- 
ther sign  of  fear.  They  said  they  were  Wa-Kankore ; 
their  chief  was  Sangarika;  the  village  opposite  'Was 
Marimba.  Such  information  as  they  possessed  concern- 
ing neighboring  tribes  was  cheerfully  given.  Their 
own  district  was  very  small.  It  was  singular  to  find 
such  a small,  peace-loving  people  surrounded  by  can- 
nibals. 

When  asked  why  their  demeanor  was  so  unlike 
that  of  cannibals  only  a few  miles  above,  they  told  of  a 
ruse  they  had  employed  to  discover  the  character  of  the 
travelers.  Some  of  their  number  had  been  on  an  expe- 
dition up  the  river,  and  had  learned  of  their  battle  with 
the  cannibals.  Seeing  the  expedition  would  pass  them, 
the  natives  had  hurried  back  and  warned  their  people. 
A woman  and  boy  were  placed  in  a canoe  with  a quam 


212 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


tity  of  provisions,  and  sent  up  to  meet  Stanley.  As 
they  were  not  molested,  the  natives  decided  he  was  a 
peaceable  and  trustworthy  man ; hence  they  manifested 
friendship  and  good-will.  Had  he  molested  them,  or 
taken  their  provisions,  they  intended  to  maKe  war  on 
him. 

Leaving  this  amiable  tribe,  he  next  encountered 
the  Mwana  Ntaba,  a ferocious  race  of  cannibals,  who 
charged  out  into  the  river  and  gave  battle  as  soon  as  he 
had  reached  them.  These  savages  possessed  the  largest 
canoes  Stanley  had  yet  seen.  One  of  the  largest,  after- 
ward found  to  measure  eighty-five  feet  and  three  inches, 
rashly  charged  the  boat  Lady  Alice.  Reserving  their 
fire  till  the  savages  were  within  fifty  feet,  Stanley’s  crew 
poured  in  such  a terrific  volley  that  the  savages  were 
thrown  in  great  disorder.  The  boat  then  charged  the 
great  canoe,  compelling  the  cannibals  to  jump  over- 
board, leaving  their  canoe  to  the  victors.  It  was  soon 
manned  by  thirty  of  Stanley’s  men,  and  led  the  entire 
expedition  down  the  river.  The  enemy  gathered  their 
forces  and  gave  chase,  Stanley  making  all  speed  till  the 
increasing  velocity  of  the  current,  and  an  ominous  roar 
below  him,  warned  him  that  he  must  either  stop  and  do 
battle,  or  be  drowned  in  the  falls.  The  decision  was 
soon  made,  the  canoes  were  anchored,  and  the  battle 
begun.  Fifteen  minutes’  hot  fighting  showed  that  it 
was  impossible  to  effect  a landing.  Rowing  back  up 
the  river  to  an  elbow  in  the  stream,  the  forces  were  di- 
vided, and  a detachment  sent  out  to  attack  the  enemy 
in  the  rear,  while  Stanley  occupied  their  attention  on 
the  river.  The  movement  was  successful,  and  the  sav- 
ages were  gradually  forced  away,  affording  the  expedi- 
tion an  opportunity  of  constructing  an  impenetrable 
stockade,  wherein  to  pass-  the  night;  In  the  morning 


FEROCIOUS  ASSAULT  ON  THE  CAMP . 


214 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


the  savages  renewed  the  attack,  keeping  up  an  incessant 
fighting  nearly  all  day.  They  were  finally  dispersed, 
but  not  before  they  had  killed  two  men  and  wounded 
ten  others.  The  expedition,  now  almost  a unit,  was 
filled  with  the  courage  born  of  despair.  Go  back,  or 
over  the  cataract,  they  could  not.  They  were  compelled 
to  fight  their  way  around  by  land. 

Two  days  the  party  halted  here,  preparing  for  a 
portage  around  the  first  cataract  of  the  Stanley  Falls. 
The  river  was  divided  into  two  streams.  The  main,  or 
right  branch,  900  yards  wide,  rushed  for  a mile  in  wild 
rapids  east-northeast,  striking  against  a hill  that  lay  north 
and  south,  and  sheering  off  in  a confused,  roaring  mass  of 
foamy  waves  to  the  north.  The  left  branch,  200  yards 
wide,  ran  slower  and  with  less  broken  water,  and  could 
be  descended  for  two  or  three  miles  in  a boat.  A path 
was  cleared  around  its  lower  cataract,  and  the  canoes 
were  dragged  past.  The  first  danger  was  over. 

Re-embarking  on  a smooth  stretch  of  water,  the 
party  had  not  proceeded  far,  when  the  roar  of  a second 
cataract  was  heard.  Again  the  omnipresent  cannibals 
appeared,  and  opposed  their  landing,  compelling  Stanley 
to  camp  on  an  island  in  the  river.  After  much  trouble, 
a landing  was  effected,  and  preparations  made  to  cut  a 
road  around  this  second  cataract.  By  shifting  his  men 
so  as  to.  continue  the  work  night  and  day,  and  always 
keeping  the  savages  in  check  by  an  armed  guard,  and 
occasionally  pursuing  them  for  miles  into  the  jungle, 
after  seventy-eight  hours  of  extraordinary  exertion, 
Stanley  at  last  managed  to  pass  the  fall  and  launch  the 
canoes.  The  cannibals,  utterly  disheartened  by  re- 
peated repulses,  left  him  in  peace  to  try  farther 
progress  by  the  river,  which,  though  dangerous,  afforded 
greater  facilities  than  did  the  land.  The  following 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN 


215 


extract  from  Stanley’s  journal  will  be  read  with  in- 
terest : 

“Jan.  As  soon  as  we  reached  the  river,  we 

began  to  float  the  canoes  down  a two-mile  stretch  of 
rapids,  to  a camp  opposite  the  south  end  of  Ntunduru 
Island.  Six  canoes  were  taken  safely  down  by  the  gal- 
lant boat’s  crew.  The  seventh  canoe  was  manned  by 
Muscati,  Uledi  Muscati,  and  Zaidi,  a chief.  Muscati, 
the  steersman,  lost  his  presence  of  mind,  and  soon 
upset  his  canoe  in  a piece  of  bad  water.  Muscati  and 
his  friend  Uledi  swam  down  the  furious  stream  to  Ntun- 
duru Island,  whence  they  were  saved  by  the  eighth 
canoe;  but  poor  Zaidi,  paralyzed  by  the  roar  of  the 
stream,  unfortunately  thought  his  safety  was  assured 
by  clinging  to  the  canoe.  Soon  he  was  swept  past  our 
new  camp,  in  full  view  of  those  who  had  been  deputed 
with  Frank  to  form  it,  to  what  seemed  inevitable  death. 
But  a kindly  providence,  which  he  has  himself  grate- 
fully acknowledged,  saved  him  even  on  the  brink  of 
eternity.  The  great  fall  at  the  north  end  of  Ntunduru 
Island  happens  to  be  disparted  by  a single  pointed  rock, 
and  on  this  the  canoe  was  driven,  and,  borne  down  by 
the  weight  of  waters,  was  soon  split  in  two,  one  side 
being  jammed  below,  the  other  tilting  upward.  To  this 
the  almost  drowned  man  clung,  while  perched  on  the 
rocky  point,  with  his  ankles  washed  by  the  stream.  To 
his  left,  as  he  faced  up  stream,  there  was  a stretch  of 
fifty  yards  of  falling  water ; to  his  right  were  nearly 
fifty  yards  of,  leaping  brown  waves,  while  close  behind 
him  the  waters  fell  down  six  or  eight  feet,  through  a gap 
ten  yards  wide,  between  the  rocky  point  on  which  he 
was  perched  and  a rocky  island  thirty  yards  long. 
When  called  to  the  scene  by  his  weeping  friends,  from 
my  labors  up  the  river,  I could  scarcely  believe  my 


$10 


INTO  mn  ' UN1N0WN, 


eyes*  or  realize  the  strange  chance  which  placed  him 
there,  and,  certainly,  a more  critical  position  than  the 
poor  fellow  was  in  cannot  be  imagined.  But  this  soli- 
tary man,  on  that  narrow,  pointed  rock,  whose  knees 
were  sometimes  washed  by  rising  waves,  was  apparently 
calmer  than  any  of  us ; though  we  could  approach  him 
within  fifty  yards,  he  could  not  hear  a word  we  said; 
he  could  see  us,  and  feel  assured  that  we  sympathized 
with  him  in  his  terrible  position.  We  then,  after  col- 
lecting our  faculties,  began  io  prepare  means  to  save 
him.  After  sending  men  to  collect  rattans,  we  formed 
a cable,  by  which  we  attempted  to  lower  a small  canoe, 
but  the  instant  it  seemed  to  reach  him,  the  force  of  the 
current  hurrying  to  the  fall  was  so  great  that  the  cable 
snapped  like  pack-thread,  and  the  canoe  swept  by  him 
like  an  arrow,  and  was  engulfed,  shattered,  split,  and 
pounded  into  fragments.  Then  we  endeavored  to  toss 
to  him  poles  tied  to  creepers,  but  the  vagaries  and  con- 
vulsive heaving  of  the  current  made  it  impossible  to 
reach  him  with  them,  while  the  man  dared  not  move  a 
hand,  but  sat  silent,  watching  our  futile  efforts,  while 
the  conviction  gradually  settled  on  our  minds  that  his 
doom,  though  protracted,  was  certain.  Then  I called 
for  another  canoe,  and  lashed  to  its  bow  a cable  con- 
sisting of  three  one-inch  rattans  twisted  together,  and 
strengthened  by  all  the  tent-ropes.  A similar  cable  was 
lashed  to  the  side,  and  a third  was  fastened  to  the 
stern,  each  of  these  cables  being  ninety  yards  in  length. 
A shorter  cable,  thirty  yards  long,  was  lashed  to  the 
stern  of  the  canoe,  which  was  to  be  guided  within 
reach  of  him  by  a man  in  the  canoe.  Volunteers  being 
called  for  to  man  the  canoe,  Uledi,  Marzouk,  Shumari, 
and  Saywa  came  forward.  Of  these,  I chose  the  first- 
named  pair,  and  they  stepped  into  the  boat  with  the  air 


INTO  fm  TWIENOWN, 


m 


of  gladiators,  amid  hearty  applause,  coupled  with  in- 
junctions  to  be  careful.  Turning  to  the  crowd  on  shore 
who  were  manning  the  cables,  I bade  them  beware  of 
the  least  carelessness,  as  the  lives  of  the  three  young 
men  depended  on  a strict  obedience  of  orders.  The 
two  young  volunteers  were  requested  to  paddle  across 
river,  so  that  the  stern  might  be  guided  by  those  on 
shore.  The  bow  and  side  cables  were  slackened  until 
the  canoe  was  within  twenty  yards  of  the  roaring  falls, 
and  Uledi  endeavored  to  guide  the  cable  to  Zaidi,  but 
the  convulsive  heaving  of  the  river  swept  the  canoe 
instantly  to  one  side,  where  it  hovered  over  the  steep 
siope  and  brown  waves  of  the  left  branch,  from  the 
swirl  of  which  we  were  compelled  to  draw  it,  Five 
times  the  attempt  was  made,  but  at  last,  the  sixth  time, 
encouraged  by  the  safety  of  the  cables,  we  lowered  the 
canoe  until  it  was  within  ten  yards  of  Zaidi,  and  Uledi 
lifted  the  short  cable,  threw  it  over  to  him,  and  struck 
his  arm.  He  had  just  time  to  grasp  it,  before  he  was 
carried  over  into  the  chasm  below.  For  thirty  seconds 
we  saw  nothing  of  him,  and  thought  him  lost,  when  his 
head ' rose  above  the  edge  of  the  falling  waters.  In- 
stantly the  word  was  given,  to  “ haul  away,  ” but  at  the 
first  pull,  the  bow  and  side  cables  parted,  and  the  canoe 
began  to  glide  down  the  left  branch,  with  my  two  boat- 
boys  on  board ! The  stern  cable  next  parted,  and  hor- 
rified at  the  result,  we  stood  watching  the  canoe  drifting 
from  us  to  certain  destruction,  when  we  suddenly  ob- 
served it  halted.  Zaidi,  in  the  chasm,  clinging  to  his 
cable,  was  acting  as  a kedge-anchor,  which  swept  the 
canoe  against  the  rocky  island.  Uledi  and  Marzouk 
sprang  out  of  the  canoe,  and,  leaning  over,  assisted 
Zaidi  out  of  the  falls,  and  the  three,  working  with  des- 
perate energy,  succeeded  in  securing  the  canoe  on  the 


218 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


islet.  But  though  we  hurrahed,  and  were  exceedingly 
rejoiced,  their  position  was  still  but  a short  reprieve 
from  death.  There  were  fifty  yards  of  wild  waves,  and 
a resistless  rush  of  waters,  between  them  and  safety, 
and  to  their  right  was  a fall  three  hundred  yards  in 
width,  and  below  them  was  a mile  of  rapids  and  falls, 
and  great  whirlpools,  and  waves  rising  like  little  hills 
in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  and  below  these  were  the 
fell  cannibals,  Wane-Mukwa  and  Asama.  How  to  reach 
the  islet  was  the  question  which  now  perplexed  me. 
We  tied  a stone  to  about  a hundred  yards  of  whip-cord, 
and  after  the  twentieth  attempt,  they  managed  to  catch 
it.  To  the  end  of  the  whip-cord  they  tied  the  tent-rope 
which  had  parted  before,  and,  drawing  it  to  our  side, 
we  tied  the  stout  rattan  creeper,  which  they  drew  across 
taut,  and  fastened  to  a rock,  by  which  we  thought  he  had 
begun  to  bridge  the  stream.  Night  drawing  nigh,  we  told 
them  we  would  defer  further  experiment  until  morning. 
Meanwhile  the  ninth  canoe,  whose  steersman  was  a 
supernumerary  of  the  boat,  had  likewise  got  upset,  and 
he,  out  of  six  men,  was  drowned,  to  our  great  regret, 
but  the  canoe  was  saved.  All  the  other  vessels  were 
brought  down  safely,  but  so  long  as  our  poor,  faithful 
Uledi  and  his  friends  are  on  the  islet,  and  still  in  the 
arms  of  death,  the  night  finds  us  gloomy,  sorrowing,  and 
anxious. 

“Jan.  15th. — My  first  duty  this  morning  was  to 
send  greetings  to'the  three  brave  lads  on  the  islet,  and 
to  assure  them  that  they  should  be  saved  before  they 
were  many  hours  older.  Thirty  men  with  guns  were 
sent  to  protect  thirty  others  searching  for  rattans  in  the 
forest,  and.  by  nine  o’clock  we  possessed  over  sixty 
strong  canes,  besides  other  long  climbers,  and  as  fast  as 
we  were  able  to  twist  them  together  they  were  drawn 


INTO  THE  UNKNOWN. 


219 


across  by  Uledi  and  his  friends.  Besides,  we  sent  light 
cables  to  be  lashed  around  the  waist  of  each  man,  after 
which  we  felt  trebly  assured  that  all  accidents  were 
guaranteed  against.  Then  hailing  them,  I motioned  to 
Uledi  to  begin,  while  ten  men  seized  the  cable,  one  end  of 
which  he  had  fastened  round  his  waist.  Uledi  was  seen  to 
lift  up  his  hands  to  heaven,  and,  waving  his  hand  to  us, 
he  leaped  into  the  wild  flood,  seizing  the  bridge  cable 
as  he  fell  into  the  depths.  Soon  he  rose,  hauling  him- 
self hand  over  hand,  the  waves  brushing  his  face,  and 
sometimes  rising  over  his  head,  until  it  seemed  that  he 
would  scarcely  be  able  to  breathe;  but  by  jerking  his 
body  upward  occasionally,  by  a desperate  effort,  he  so 
managed  to  survive  the  waves,  and  to  approach  us, 
where  a dozen  willing  hands  were  stretched  out  to 
snatch  the  half-smothered  man.  Zaidi  next  followed, 
but  after  the  tremendous  proofs  he  had  given  of  his 
courage  and  tenacious  hold,  we  did  not  much  fear  for 
his  safety,  and  he  also  landed,  to  be  warmly  congratu- 
lated for  his  double  escape  from  death.  Marzouk,  the 
youngest,  was  the  last,  and  we  held  our  breaths  while 
the  gallant  boy  was  struggling  out  of  the  fierce  grasp  of 
death.  While  yet  midway,  the  pressure  of  waters  was 
so  great  that  he  lost  his  hold  of  two  cables,  at  which 
the  men  screamed  in  terror,  lest  he  should  relax  his 
hold  altogether  from  despair,  but  I shouted  harshly  to 
him,  ‘ Pull  away,  you  fool ! Be  a man ! ’ At  which,  with 
three  hauls,  he  approached  within  reach  of  our  willing 
hands,  to  be  embraced  and  applauded  by  all.  The  cheers 
we  gave  were  so  loud  and  hearty  that  the  cannibal 
Wane-Mukwa  must  have  known,  despite  the  roar  of  the 
waters,  that  we  had  passed  through  a great  and  thrill- 
ing scene.  ” 

Let  the  reader  remember  the  bold  Uledi,  for  he  will 


m 


mw  UNKNOWN, 


figure  in  many  a thrilling  scene  in  perilous  days  to 
come.  What  manner  of  man  is  he,  think  you?  A 
Hercules  or  Apollo  or  Narcissus  in  ebony?  Of  short, 
almost  stunted  stature,  small-pox  marked  face,  nose 
broad  in  a land  of  broad  noses,  rude,  untutored,  semi- 
savage — yet  devoted  to  his  master  with  almost  the  in- 
stinctive, unreasoning  affection  of  a faithful  dog ; ready 
to  risk  life  at  any  time  at  a hint,  or  almost  at  a whim, 
of  his  employer ; necessarily  beloved  by  all  and  envied 
by  none  of  his  companions — such  was  the  bold  cox- 
swain of  the  Lady  Alice.  Is  there  no  nobility  in  the 
African  ? 


... 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


•EN  days  more  were  spent  in  passing  the  three  re- 
maining cataracts  of  the  Stanley  Falls — in 
each  case  by  the  toilsome  method  of  hauling  the 
canoes  overland,  beset  almost  constantly  by  the  hungry 
savages.  Every  day  they  heard  the  boom  of  war  drums, 
and  the  lament  of  the  cannibals  that  their  meat  was  es- 
caping them.  Every  bend  of  the  great  stream  concealed 
wretches  ready  to  attack  them  as  so  much  game.  Still 
more  forcibly  were  they  reminded  of  the  light  in  which 
the  barbarians  held  them,  when,  having  encamped  in  an 
empty  village  one  night,  they  arose  in  the  morning  and 
found  themselves  completely  surrounded  by  a tall  net, 
cleverly  concealed  in  the  jungle,  while  the  path  was 
studded  with  a strong,  sharp  splinters  of  reed ! and  be- 
hind the  net  spearmen  lay  in  wait ! Truly,  they  were 
but  game  in  the  eyes  of  these  hideous  man-eating  mon- 
strosities. In  each  village  were  found  bleached  skulls, 
half-picked  ribs  and  thigh  bones,  joints,  &c.,  ghastly  and 
sickening  witnesses  of  the  cannibals’  monstrous  crav- 
ings. Stanley  had  derived  some  advantage  from  the 
rencontres,  however,  as  he  ordered  his  men  to  collect  the 
great  door-like  shields,  impenetrable  by  spear  or  arrow, 
and  in  consequence  an  excellent  defense  for  the  canoes, 
readily  raised  by  the  non-combatants,  and  so  rendering 

(221) 


222 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


the  few  musketeers  more  effective  than  four  times  their 
number  would  have  been  if  unprotected. 

For  two  weeks,  the  time  occupied  in  traveling  from 
the  Leopold  Eiver  past  the  first  five  cataracts,  the  course 
of  the  river  was  perplexing  to  Stanley.  Its  trend  to  the 
east  caused  him  to  fear  he  might  have  been  mistaken  in 
his  belief  that  it  was  the  Congo.  Livingstone  had  be- 
lieved it  to  be  the  Nile,  and  Stanley  began  to  think  per- 
haps he  was  correct,  though  the  great  volume  of  water 
in  the  river  was  decidedly  against  the  theory.  Nothing 
could  be  proven  from  the  native  names  of  the  river,  as 
almost  every  tribe  has  a different  name  for  it.  But 
eight  or  ten  miles  below  the  fifth  cataract  the  stream 
veered  to  the  north,  then  sharply  to  the  northwest.  It 
could  not  then  be  the  Nile,  but  there  was  a possibility  of 
its  being  the  Niger.  But  Stanley  solved  the  difficulty  of 
its  name  by  continuing  to  call  it  by  the  name  of  its  dis- 
coverer— Livingstone. 

The  seventh  cataract  is  the  most  peculiar  of  all  the 
series.  The  great  deep  stream,  almost  a mile  wide  some 
distance  above,  is  narrowed  at  the  falls  to  five  hundred 
yards ; yet  through  this  narrow  chasm  is  hurled  a river 
of  ten  times  the  volume  of  the  Victoria  Nile.  No  words 
can  convey  a proper  idea  of  the  immense  speed  and 
power  displayed.  But  the  enterprising  inhabitants  in 
the  great  island  here  place  huge  rattan  fish-baskets  in 
the  edge  of  the  cataracts  and  obtain  thereby  a by  no 
means  small  supply  of  fish.  These  people,  the  Wenya, 
were  much  more  intelligent  than  their  neighbors  of  the 
mainland. 

Twenty-two  days  had  been  spent  in  passing  the 
cataracts.  We  have  gathered  a faint  idea  of  the  perils 
of  those  fearful  days.  Only  reckless  buoyancy,  partly 
dash,  partly  indifference,  partly  desperation,  had  en- 


TO  STANLEY  POOL 


223 


abled  the  Wangwana  to  withstand  the  struggle.  There 
was  not  a little,  however,  in  that  feeling  of  fatality,  pe- 
culiar to  all  believers  in  Mohammedan  theology,  that  a 
man’s  fate  is  irrevocably  fixed,  and  in  consequence  be  :3 
as  safe  in  one  place  as  another.  When  his  hour  arrives 
he  will  die  at  once,  no  matter  where  he  may  be.  Till  it 
does,  he  can  not.  Whatever  may  be  said  of  the  fallacy 
of  this  view,  it  has  produced  many  of  the  boldest  and 
most  desperate  soldiers  the  world  has  known. 

But  as  the  expedition  hastened  away  from  the  last 
cataract,  upon  the  28th  of  January,  a feeling  of  mirth 
and  exhilaration  seized  the  company.  Yet  there  was  a 
still  undercurrent  of  sadness,  which  Stanley  and  Pocock 
felt  more  keenly  than  the  others.  And  from  this  time 
on,  a peculiar  unconscious  pathos  runs  through  Stan- 
ley’s narrative.  It  can  not  be  located  as  definitely  con- 
fined to  any  especial  passage ; but  ever  and  anon  the 
sympathetic  reader  finds  himself  stirred  by  the  thought- 
ful sadness  that  is  the  more  touching  in  that  it  is  unin- 
tentional and  unconscious.  The  expedition  is  losing  its 
character  of  a master  and  servants  on  a journey  of  ex- 
ploration ; it  is  becoming  a body  of  companions,  bound 
together  by  a thousand  perils  and  toils ; all  wanderers, 
longing  for  home. 

Attempting  to  land  on  the  evening  of  the  28th  with 
a view  to  camping  in  the  village  of  Usimbi,  they  were 
again  opposed  by  savages,  and  compelled  to  cross  the 
river.  They  then  attempted  to  land  on  Ukioba  Is- 
land, nearly  opposite  Usimbi.  Once  more  the  savages 
united  their  forces,  and  made  an  attack.  The  collision 
resulted  in  the  capture  of  five  savages  and  one  war 
canoe.  Stanley  was  then  left  undisturbed  through  the 
night.  Next  day,  he  crossed  to  Usimbi  and  found  it 
abandoned.  Here  he  found  his  first  of  the  grotesque 


NATIVES  IN  WAR-PAINT. 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


225 


idols  or  fetishes  that  abound  in  Western  Africa.  This 
one  was  a rude  semblance  of  a man,  hewn  from  wood, 
under  a small  roof  supported  by  ivory  tusks,  raised  on 
a platform  of  tamped  and  carefully  swept  clay.  The 
village  consisted  of  streets  crossing  each  other  at  right 
angles,  instead  of  one  long  street,  as  was  the  case  with 
the  villages  heretofore  passed.  It  was  protected  by  a 
ditch  on  the  land  side,  the  dirt  being  thrown  inward. 
The  canoes  here  were  broad,  flat-bottomed,  slow-moving 
scows. 

After  releasing  the  captives,  he  had  a peaceful 
voyage  till  noon,  when  he  had  a short  contest  with  the 
inhabitants  of  a large  village.  An  hour  later,  a new 
tribe  which  he  had  encountered  opposed  his  farther  pro- 
gress. For  three  hours  a running  fight  was  maintained, 
when,  observing  the  village  Ituka  below,  and  several  ca- 
noes cutting  across  the  river  to  head  him  off,  he  resolved 
to  make  a stand  on  shore.  Accordingly,  he  landed  and 
soon  had  a fortification  constructed.  The  savages  pre- 
cipitated themselves  on  the  defenses,  killing  one  man 
and  wounding  another,  besides  barely  missing  many 
others  with  their  heavy  spears.  They  were  hideously 
daubed  and  painted,  one  half  the  body  being  ochreous, 
the  other  white.  At  sunset  they  retired,  affording  the 
party  a respite  in  which  to  care  for  the  wounded  and 
bury  the  de^d.  The  expedition  was  suffered  to  depart 
next  morning  unmolested,  attacked  about  ten  o’clock  by 
savages  in  canoes.  Charging  under  cover  of  the  great 
shields,  one  canoe  and  eight  men  were  captured.  This 
ended  the  fight  and  brought  about  negotiations  for  peace. 
Stanley  had  learned  by  this  time  the  best  method  of 
dealing  with  these  barbarians. 

Up  to  the  afternoon  of  the  29th  of  January,  the 
party  had  fought  twenty-four  times  since  leaving  the 


226 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


Ruiki  River,  and  had  obtained  sixty-five  large  shields. 
These  were  especially  useful  in  this  region,  as  the  canni- 
bals bore  immense  spear-blades,  six  feet  long  and  six 
inches  broad.  The  war-cry  of  these  wretches  was  “ Ya, 
Mariwa  ! ” The  “ Bo-bo-bos  ” were  passed.  Having  re- 
leased the  captives,  the  expedition  departed  without 
further  opposition.  The  river  here  was  near  four  thou- 
sand yards  wide. 

The  following  days  were  but  a repetition  of  this, 
every  nook  concealing  swinish  fiends  howling  for  hu- 
man flesh.  But  the  “thunder  and  lightning ” of  the 
children  of  the  sun  inspired  them  with  a wholesome  re- 
spect for  guns.  But  this  continual  warfare  and  the 
cries  for  meat  were  revolting  to  the  travelers.  They 
were  fast  becoming  filled  with  loathing  and  disgust  for 
the  world  and  the  hideous  bloodthirsty  ghouls  that  dwelt 
in  it.  They  were  weary,  weary,  weary  of  the  incessant 
howl  and  turmoil ; and  when  a quiet  part  of  the  river 
was  reached,  they  loitered  and  dallied,  to  enjoy  peace 
as  long  as  possible.  Stanley  continued  his  observations 
as  carefully  as  ever,  but  more  mechanically,  and  with 
less  zest.  Why  should  one  take  interest  in  such  filthy 
brutes,  who  may  well  have-  been  the  originals  of 
Swift’s  Yahoos.  Even  the  long-suffering  Livingstone, 
bearing  meekly  impositions  not  a few,  had  said  of  such 
villains,  “They  are  bad  men;  fire  on  them.” 

On  the  first  day  of  February,  about  two  o’clock,  an 
immense  flotilla  of  fifty-four  canoes,  led  by  a monster 
vessel  occupied  by  more  than  a hundred  men,  congre- 
gated in  the  mouth  of  the  Aruwimi,  a great  tributary  of 
the  Livingstone,  bore  down  oh  the  expedition  with  great 
speed,  compelling  Stanley  to  draw  up  his  boats  in  a 
compact  form  and  anchor  in  mid  stream.  Stanley’s 
men  coolly  waited  till  the  enemy  was  within  fifty  yards, 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


227 


when  they  opened  fire,  becoming  so  absorbed  that  noth- 
ing else  was  noticed  for  five  minutes.  At  the  end  of  that 
time,  Stanley  found  the  savages  reforming  two  hundred 
yards  above,  and  gave  the  order  to  charge.  The  blood 
of  his  men  was  up,  and  they  responded  to  the  order  with 
right  good-will,  pursuing  the  savages  up  to  their  village. 
Landing,  they  continued  the  fight  in  the  streets,  finally 
driving  tb&^nemy  out  into  the  forest.  The  village  was 
abundantly  supplied  with  ivory,  and  Stanley  gave  his 
men  permission  to  convey  what  they  wanted  to  the  ca- 
noes. Evidences  of  cannibalism  were  as  abundant  in 
this  village  as  in  others. 

Oh,  it  was  wearisome,  sickening — this  continual 
struggle  for  existence  with  these  vulturous  savages.  If 
the  party  could  only  dash  down  by  night ! But  what 
cataracts  might  not  be  in  the  stream?  No,  they  must 
move  on  by  day,  contending  every  step  of  the  way  fo: 
bare  existence,  and  purchasing  all  rights  and  privileges 
with  cartridges.  So  they  must  go,  ill  or  well.  Not 
thirty  in  the  entire  expedition  were  unwounded.  But 
there  is  no  retreat  possible.  Onward  is  the  word,  till 
some  day,  in  despair  and  loathing  for  the  hideous  world, 
they  should  unresisting  become  food  for  the  maws  of 
these  ravenous  ghouls.  Even  in  hours  of  peace,  the 
Btrange  indefinable  sense  of  danger  is  ever  present. 
Their  dreams  were  of  contest  and  murders ; of  whirl- 
* pools  and  cataracts. 

Some  days  they  traveled  thus,  running  the  gauntlet. 
The  7th  of  February  a new  foe  faced  them.  Provisions 
were  exhausted ; where,  in  this  hostile  land,  could  others 
be  obtained  ? Food  should  be  procured ; if  not  peace- 
ably, then  by  force. 

They  went  hungry  that  night.  At  eleven  o'clock 
next  day,  the  village  of  Eubunga  was  reached.  Direct 


228 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


ing  Pocock  to  keep  a few  hundred  yards  in  the  rear  with 
the  canoes,  Stanley  approached  the  village  in  his  boat. 
The  villagers  were  silent.  No  hostile  sound  was  made. 
Three  canoes  advanced.  But  at  “ Sennen-neh ! Cha- 
rereh ! ” (Peace)  they  scurried  away.  They  did  not 
understand.  Patience ! All  the  world  knows  panto- 
mime. 

“We  had  reserved  one  banana  and  a piece  of  cas- 
sava. We  had  our  mouths  and  our  stomachs  with  us. 
An  appropriate  gesture  with  the  banana  to  the  mouth, 
and  a gentle  fondling  with  a puckered  stomach,  would, 
we  thought,  be  a manner  of  expressing  extreme  want 
eloquent  enough  to  penetrate  the  armored  body  of  a 
crocodile.’,  So  the  negotiation  progressed,  Stanley 
standing,  his  helmet  back,  gesturing,  posturing,  exhibit- 
ing beads,  cowries,  brass  wire,  copper  ornaments,  lifting 
the  banana  to  his  open  mouth — then  waiting,  “ with 
what  patience,  what  suspense,  what  a saint-like  air  of 
resignation  ! Ah,  yes ; but  I think  I may  be  pardoned 
for  all  that  degrading  pantomime.  I had  a number  of 
hungry,  half  wild  children ; and  through  a cannibal 
world  we  had  ploughed  to  reach  these  unsophisticated 
children  of  nature.” 

Slowly  the  elders  approached  the  shore,  and  sat 
down.  Their  chieftain  nodded.  In  two  strokes  the  boat 
was  ashore.  Stanley  grasped  the  chief’s  hand  warmly. 
“ Warm-hearted  Uledi,  who  the  moment  before  was 
breathing  furious  hate  of  all  savages,  and  of  the  pro- 
crastinating old  chief  in  particular,  embraced  him  with 
a filial  warmth.”  Blood-brotherhood  sealed  the  peace. 
Provisions  were  supplied,  and  happiness  once  more  pre- 
vailed in  the  expedition.  And  when,  in  a mongrel  mix- 
ture of  many  dialects,  Stanley  succeeded  in  asking  the 
chief  the  name  of  the  river,  and  was  told  it  was  the 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


229 


Congo,  much  joy  was  his.  Long  had  he  firmly  believed 
it,  yet  it  was  very  agreeable  to  be  told  so. 

The  great  Aruwimi,  passed  some  days  before,  Stan- 
ley believed  to  be  the  Welle  of  Schweinfurth.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  all  information  gleaned  from  native 
sources  is  at  best  but  of  a very  unreliable  character, 
and  so  the  testimony  of  the  natives  that  the  Welle  flowed 
always  west  is  about  as  reliable  as  their  assertion  that 
the  Livingstone  flowed  ever  northward.  Stanley’s  ob- 
servation of  the  Aruwimi  at  its  mouth  was,  that  it  came 
from  the  northeast. 

To  such  an  excess  do  the  people  of  Bubunga  carry 
the  art  of  tattooing  that  many  of  them  are  hideously 
deformed,  not  a few  having  quite  unnatural  features 
and  necks.  The  whole  body,  from  the  roots  of  the  hair 
to  the  knees,  is  covered  with  various  designs,  and  raised 
figures.  They  contrive  to  insert  air  under  the  skin  in 
such  a manner  as  to  cause  large  tubercles,  some  equal- 
ing a hen-egg  in  size.  They  were  too  freely  tattooed 
to  be  picturesque  or  quaint ; they  were  simply  hideous. 
Their  blood-brotherhood  ceremony  was  decidedly  canni- 
balistic. Instead  of  mingling  a little  of  the  blood  from 
the  arm  of  each  principal,  as  is  usually  the  custom,  each 
vigorously  sucked  the  blood  from  his  new  friend’s 
wounded  arm.  And  their  ornaments  were  as  tasteful. 
Necklaces  of  teeth  of  men  and  animals  were  massed 
around  the  neck  till  it  was  almost  concealed  from  view. 

Four  ancient  muskets  found  here  gave  the  people 
joy,  and  Stanley  some  uneasiness.  It  indicated  that 
the  region  was  in  reach  of  traders  from  the  west ; but  if 
the  tribes  armed  with  muskets  were  as  hostile  and  in- 
sistent as  the  barbarians  hitherto  encountered,  what 
hope  for  the  expedition  ? 

Though  but  ugly,  wheedling  beggars,  the  people  of 


230 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


, 


Rubunga  were  hospitable  to  Stanley,  and  when  he  left 
sent  a canoe  with  five  men  to  introduce  the  travelers  to 
their  neighbors,  the  Urangi,  who  accorded  him  a noisy 
and  demonstrative  welcome. 

Though  they  manifested  an  unpleasant  disposition 
to  steal,  no  open  rupture  occurred  and  the  expedition 
passed  the  night  in  peace.  This  tribe  also  was  tattooed 
most  hideously,  and  was  highly  ornamented  with  an 
abundance  of  copper  wire  obtained  from  traders  down 
the  river.  The  men  wear  an  ample  loin-cloth,  while  the 
women  go  entirely  naked.  About  a dozen  muskets,  also 
obtained  from  traders,  were  found  here. 

As  the  expedition  started  forward  next  morning, 
scores  of  canoes  put  out  from  Urangi,  and  followed  a 
short  distance  down  the  river.  This  did  not  arouse  sus- 
picion, till  a shot  was  fired,  killing  one  of  Stanley’s  men. 
He  instantly  formed  the  canoes  on  the  defensive,  and 
opened  fire.  Th8  natives  persisted  in  following  and  fir- 
ing, till  the  tribe  below  was  aroused,  when  they  also 
joined  in  the  chase.  With  such  pertinacity  was  he  pur- 
sued that  Stanley  was  on  the  point  of  despair  ere  he 
finally  succeeded  in  escaping  them. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  yet  another  hostile  tribe 
was  encountered,  who  immediately  started  out  in  their 
canoes,  uttering  war-cries  surprisingly  like  the  neighing 
of  a chorus  of  full-blooded  stallions.  But  with  guns 
already  aimed  and  cocked,  the  savages  were  so  over- 
come with  curiosity  at  the  appearance  of  the  first  white 
man  they  had  ever  seen  that  they  followed  on  in  perfect 
silence  for  over  two  miles.  At  last,  when  Katembo,  the 
guide,  spoke  to  them,  a gun  was  fired,  killing  Rehani, 
one  of  the  finest  men  of  the  expedition.  Instantly  the 
shields  were  raised,  the  battle  was  opened,  and  in  thirty 


minutes  the  seventy  musket-armed  canoes  of  the  enemy 


T©>  STANLEY  POOL, 


231 


were  retiring  to  a more  respectful  distance.  They  con- 
tinued the  pursuit  five  miles,  when  they  beat  a retreat. 

But  a short  distance  below  were  the  Bangala,  a 
very  powerful,  courageous,  and  aggressive  tribe ; but  in 
general,  friendly  to  the  traders  from  the  west.  But 
how  would  they  regard  strangers  from  the  east  ? With 
much  trepidation  the  expedition  moved  on  for  two  days. 

On  the  14th  of  February  the  war  drum  was  again 
sounded,  and  the  dreaded  Bangala  prepared  to  oppose 
further  passage  by  force.  Stanley  used  his  most  fasci- 
nating arts  to  secure  peace,  but  without  avail.  Ignoring 
his  pacific  demonstrations,  the  natives  fired  into  the 
boat,  wounding  three  men,  while  at  the  same  time 
Frank’s  boat  was  fired  on,  and  two  of  his  men  wounded. 
The  missiles  used  were  jagged  pieces  of  iron  and  copper 
ore.  These  slugs,  although  dangerous,  had  not  suffi- 
cient force  to  penetrate  the  tough  shields  raised  as  bul- 
warks. The  battle  raged  continuously  for  hours,  each 
village  sending  out  recruits  as  they  passed.  Sixty-three 
canoes  in  all,  with  not  less  than  three  hundred  and 
fifteen  muskets,  engaged  in  the  pursuit.  This  was  the 
thirty-first  fight  Stanley  had  on  the  terrible  river, 
and  by  odds  the  most  determined  conflict  of  all. 

On  the  19th,  having  been  unmolested  for  some 
days,  Stanley  was  compelled  to  seek  assistance  from 
some  native  chiefs  to  obtain  food,  as  the  expedition  was 
totally  without  provisions,  and  in  a starving  condition. 
For  a long  time  they  were  obdurate,  but  finally  yielded 
to  Stanley’s  blandishments,  and  brought  forward  an 
abundance  of  all  they  possessed.  The  worn  and  weary 
expedition  rested  and  recuperated  here  till  the  21st, 
when  they  departed,  accompanied  some  distance  by 
eight  canoes  full  of  natives,  who  finally  parted  from 
them  with  many  demonstrations  of  friendship. 


FIGHT  II V THE  JUNGLE. 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


233 


The  Wangwana  were  now  resigned  and  patient  amid 
hardships.  Stanley  had  long  ceased  to  purchase  meat 
for  himself  and  Frank,  and  in  order  to  husband  his 
scanty  stores,  fared  as  the  others  did.  They  had  full 
confidence  in  him ; but  they  were  wearied  with  watch- 
ing, toiling,  fighting,  and  hungering,  and  acted  mechani- 
cally. They  were  reaching  a state  of  pathetic  apathy. 

Nothing  of  unusual  interest  occurred,  barring  the 
almost  continual  and  wearisome  display  of  native  hos- 
tility, till  the  afternoon  of  the  23rd.  The  following  is  an 
extract  from  Stanley’s  account : — 

“Being  told  by  Kacheche  that  his  poor  wife  was  dy- 
ing, I drew  my  boat  alongside  the  canoe  she  was  lying 
in.  She  was  quite  sensible,  but  very  weak.  ‘Ah, 
master,’  she  said,  ‘ I shall  never  seethe  sea  again.  Your 
child  Amina  is  dying.  I have  so  wished  to  see  the  cocoa- 
nuts  and  the  mangoes ; but  no,  Amina  is  dying — dying 
in  a pagan  land.  She  will  never  see  Zanzibar.  The 
master  has  been  good  to  his  children,  and  Amina  re- 
members it.  It  is  a bad  world,  master,  and  you  have 
lost  your  way  in  it.  Good-bye,  master ; do  not  forget 
little  Amina ! ’ 

“ While  floating  down,  we  dressed  her  in  her  shroud, 
and  laid  her  out  tenderly,  and  at  sunset  consigned  her 
body  to  the  depths  of  the  silent  river.”  So  died  Am- 
ina in  childbirth. 

The  voyagers  were  unmolested  for  some  time  after  this. 
The  natives  they  encountered  showed  a decided  improve- 
ment over  the  cannibals  up  the  river,  being  compara- 
tively mild  and  peaceful.  On  the  evening  of  the  27th, 
the  village  of  Chumbiri  was  reached.  The  inhabitants 
readily  consented  to  performing  the  ceremony  of  blood- 
brotherhood,  and  were  exceedingly  courteous  in  their 


234 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


demeanor.  This  was  most  opportune,  as  the  expedition 
was  again  without  provisions. 

The  night  was  passed  in  peace  and  quiet,  and  the 
next  morning  five  canoes  filled  with  musketeers  escorted 
the  king  of  Chumbiri  across  the  river  to  visit  Stanley. 
The  king  was  very  cordial  and  kind  in  his  bearing,  but 
excessively  cunning  withal,  having  evidently  cultivated 
fraud  and  duplicity  to  no  mean  extent. 

The  dames  of  Chumbiri  were  pretty,  large-eyed 
and  finely  formed,  with  a graceful  curve  of  outline  not 
often  seen  in  Africans.  The  favorite  wives  of  Chum- 
biri were  the  slaves  of  fashion.  All  had  brass  collars 
soldered  around  their  necks,  varying  in  thickness  from 
two  to  three  inches.  The  king  was  the  happy  possessor 
of  forty  wives,  six  daughters,  and  several  favorite  fe- 
male slaves.  Stanley  made  a rough  calculation  of  the 
weight  of  brass  carried  by  the  king’s  family,  and  found 
that  the  amount  was  about  thirteen  hundred  and  ninety- 
six  pounds ! 

On  being  asked  as  to  what  disposition  was  made  of 
the  brass  on  the  neck  of  a dead  wife,  Chumbiri  smiled, 
and  significantly  drew  his  hand  across  his  throat. 

On  the  7th  of  March,  Stanley  parted  with  this 
friendly  king  and  set  forth,  accompanied  by  forty-five 
men  under  the  leadership  of  the  eldest  son  of  Chum- 
biri. When  they  were  camped  in  the  woods  the  next 
day,  a scream  was  heard  from  a boy,  who  had  had  a 
narrow  escape  from  a python.  In  a half  an  hour,  the 
serpent,  or  another  one,  was  discovered  in  a different 
quarter  of  the  camp  about  to  embrace  a woman.  It 
was  killed,  and  found  to  measure  thirteen  and  a half 
feet  in  length,  and  fifteen  inches  around  the  thickest 
part  of  the  body. 

Six  miles  below  the  confluence  of  the  Nkutu  with 


TO  STANLEY  POOL 


235 


the  Livingstone,  the  expedition  landed  in  a thick  grove 
to  cook  breakfast,  entertaining  a faint  hope  that  their 
escort,  which  had  lagged  behind,  would  reappear.  They 
had  not  been  long  landed  when  several  loud  reports 
near  by  startled  all,  and  six  men  fell  wounded.  A des- 
perate fight  then  began,  and  lasted  an  hour,  ending  in 
the  discomfiture  of  the  assailants.  This  fight  was  the 
thirty-second,  and  last. 

In  the  afternoon  the  long  absent  escort  came  up, 
and  they  all  proceeded  in  company  till  they  approached 
a settlement  called  Mwana  Ibaka.  The  escort  then 
went  forward  to  endeavor  to  establish  a truce,  while 
Stanley  and  his  people  followed  leisurely  on.  Suppos- 
ing all  would  be  well,  he  steered  straight  for  the  shore, 
and  was  in  dangerous  proximity  ere  he  noticed  the 
escort  signaling  violently  to  him  to  move  off.  The  na- 
tives were  swarming  along  the  shores  by  the  hundreds, 
armed  with  muskets,  but  Stanley  was  out  of  range  be- 
fore the  excited  savages  drew  a trigger.  Three  miles 
below  they  camped,  and  next  morning  the  escort  re- 
turned to  their  homes. 

For  the  past  few  days  the  natives  had  seemed  to  be 
of  a different  type.  Though  occasionally  hostile  in 
bearing,  they  were  not  like  the  ghoulish  cannibals  of  the 
upper  Livingstone,  or  the  peppery  and  audacious  Ban- 
gala.  They  were  tribes  who  realized  that  there 
might  be  other  men  of  influence  and  power  in  the  world, 
besides  themselves. 

The  river,  too,  had  changed.  The  broad,  lacus- 
trine stream,  filled  with  islands,  had  contracted  to 
about  twelve  hundred  yards  in  average  width,  and  had 
a depth  of  from  eighty  to  two  hundred  feet.  The  banks 
were  high  and  precipitous.  For  three  weeks  its  course 
had  been  southwest.  It  could  not  be  very  far  to  the 


AMONG  THE  ISLANDS. 


TO  STANLEY  POOL. 


237 


sea ; but  the  great  height  above  its  level  showed  there 
must  be  a great  waterfall,  or  series  of  lesser  cataracts, 
ere  long. 

On  the  12th  the  expedition  reached  a sudden  ex- 
pansion of  the  river — a vast  pool,  with  sandy  islands, 
high  chalky  cliffs  on  the  right,  and  a grassy  table-land 
above.  Frank  enthusiastically  called  it  a bit  of  old 
England,  and  said  he  was  near  home.  Viewing  it  with 
a glass  from  the  top  of  a sandy  dune,  he  reported  more 
particularly  its  appearance.  The  great  pool,  six  miles 
long  and  four  miles  wide,  he  suggested  should  be  called 
Stanley  Pool,  and  the  white  cliffs,  Dover  Cliffs.  These 
suggestions,  vividly  recalled  by  later  occurrences,  Stanley 
accepted ; and  thus  was  named  the  great  pool  where  is 
now  a supply  point  for  a score  of  mission  and  trading 
posts. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


tV'XASSlNG  down  the  pool,  Stanley  was  hospitably 
Wj  received  by  the  Bateke,  of  the  left  bank,  who  were 
reported  by  their  neighbors  to  be  cannibals.  Stan- 
ley found  them  very  peaceable  and  pleasant.  They 
subsist  largely  by  fishing.  They  told  Stanley  there  was 
a great  cataract  but  a short  distance  below,  and  made 
ludicrous  efforts  to  describe  its  terrors.  Mankoneh,  the 
chief,  offered  to  show  the  way  down  to  the  falls.  Glid- 
ing down  till  opposite  a rocky  point  called  Ntamo,  where 
is  also  a village  of  the  same  name,  a camp  was  made 
on  a boulder-strewn  hillside.  Here,  in  view  of  the  falls, 
Stanley  remained  two  or  three  days,  obtaining  a supply 
of  provisions,  and  some  information  concerning  the 
river. 

As  the  reader  cons  the  rest  of  this  narrative,  he 
will  doubtless  often  wonder  why  Stanley  persisted  in 
following  a river  so  full  of  cataracts,  when  it  was  com- 
paratively but  a short  distance  to  the  sea.  Stanley  was 
a man  who  did  his  work  thoroughly.  Though  the 
identity  of  the  Congo  was  unquestionable,  he  wished  to 
complete  a correct  map  of  its  course. 

And  the  reader  must  furthermore  remember  what 
has  been  before  said  as  to  the  reliability  of  native  testi- 
mony. Had  Stanley  known  the  real  character  of  the 
next  two  hundred  miles  of  the  stream,  it  is  doubtful  if 

(238) 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


239 


he  would  have  considered  the  game  worth  the  candle. 
But  each  tribe  as  he  went  usually  represented  that  there 
was  but  one  more  cataract;  the  fact  being  that  the  West 
African  knows  practically  nothing  of  any  region  outside 
of  his  own  district.  So  Stanley  kept  on,  at  every  turn 
hoping  to  identify  “Tuckey’s  Farthest,”  and  by  means 
of  native  misinformation  held  in  pursuit  of  a veritable 
“ Cataract  Flyaway.” 

That  a better  understanding  of  the  condition  of 
knowledge  concerning  the  Congo  may  be  had,  let  us  note 
such  facts  as  were  hitherto  known  of  it. 

In  the  year  1485  Diogo  Cam,  a Portuguese  naval 
captain,  sought  by  doubling  the  southern  point  of  Africa, 
to  find  a passage  to  the  East  Indies.  Hugging  the 
western  coast,  six  degrees  south  of  the  equator,  he  turned 
into  what  he  must  have  deemed  a gulf  of  considerable 
dimensions.  He  found  himself  floating  in  the  mouth  of 
a great  river.  In  the  name  of  his  royal  master  he  took 
possession,  and  set  up  a pillar  to  commemorate  the 
event.  From  this  circumstance  it  was  called  Rio 
Padrao  or  Pillar  River.  But  Martin  of  Bohemia,  who 
was  present,  named  it  with  equal  propriety,  Rio  Pode- 
roso,  or  Mighty  River,  from  the  immense  volume  of  its 
waters.  Later,  from  an  African  kingdom  near  to  its 
southern  bank,  it  was  called  the  Congo. 

A stream  so  vast  could  have  its  fountains  only  in  the 
heart  of  a great  continent.  To  ascend  its  current  would 
be  to  invade  a region  alike  to  Phenicians,  Greeks, 
Romans,  moderns,  a dark  mystery.  It  must  be  a fertile 
region,  rejoicing  in  tropical  luxuriance,  for  such  a volume 
of  water  could  not  proceed  from  a desert.  It  might 
offer  a field  for  civilized  achievement,  and  for  empire. 
Who  were  its  inhabitants,  what  its  scenery  of  mountain, 
plain,  and  river;  what  its  wealth  of  forest,  field,  or 


240 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


mine;  these  were  questions  which  offered  themselves, 
but  no  one  sought  an  answer.  At  the  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  ten  miles  from  the  sea,  navigation  was 
confronted  with  a rapid.  Concerning  its  existence  there 
was  vague  report ; whether  any  white  man  had  ventured 
so  far,  we  are  not  informed.  One  writer,  a hundred 
years  after  the  discovery,  declares  that  the  river  is  navi- 
gable for  no  more  than  twenty-five  miles,  when  a strait 
is  reached  “ between  rocks,  where  the  waters  pour  down 
with  such  a tremendous  noise  as  to  be  heard  eight  miles 
off.”  A statement  so  false  shows  that  nothing  was 
known.  Two  hundred,  even  three  hundred  years  after 
Diogo  Cam  saw  the  mouth  of  the  Congo,  exact  knowledge 
was  scarcely  advanced.  Strange  that  through  all  these 
centuries  the  African  explorer  should  find  no  incentive, 
while  men  were  pushing  into  the  frozen  North  to  find  a 
Northwest  Passage,  or  to  reach  the  Pole  itself;  in- 
hospitable, inaccessible,  utterly  worthless,  if  possessed. 
Expedition  followed  expedition,  ever  to  disaster,  or  to 
death.  Even  the  sterner  realm  of  an  Antarctic  Conti- 
nent was  tempted  once  and  again.  Men  sailed  for  days 
along  a steep  and  solid  cliff  of  ice,  and  returned  to  ex- 
press their  regret  that  they  had  been  unable  to  set  foot 
on  land.  The  Nile  has  always  been  an  object  of  great 
interest  to  geographers  from  the  days  of  Herodotus  to 
the  present,  and  traveler  after  traveler  has  sought  for 
its  source.  But  for  centuries  after  the  mouth  of  the 
great  stream  was  discovered,  the  mystery  of  the  Congo 
remained  a mystery,  and  none  cared  to  attempt  the  un- 
explored region  whence  its  waters  were  gathered. 

The  slowness  of  civilized  men  to  possess  the  earth 
may  excite  our  wonder.  In  Asia  and  Europe  and  por- 
tions of  America  men  jostle  each  other,  and  complain 
that  they  find  no  room;  they  jostled  each  other  centuries 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


241 


ago.  Yet  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight  years  elapsed 
between  the  discovery  of  America  and  the  landing  of 
the  Pilgrims  on  Plymouth  Rock.  Australia  was  known 
for  three  centuries  to  Europeans  before  they  attempted 
settlement.  Not  a generation  ago  the  western  part  of 
the  United  States  was  deemed  an  uninhabitable  wilder- 
ness. The  vast  island  of  New  Guinea,  long  known  to 
exist,  is  yet  a barbarous  solitude.  Wanting  but  six 
years,  four  centuries  elapsed  from  the  day  when  Diogo 
Cam  anchored  in  the  mouth  of  the  Congo,  before  Henry 
M.  Stanley  endeavored  to  trace  .’  V waters  from  the  far 
interior  to  the  sea. 

Some  exact  but  very  limited  knowledge  of  the  Congo 
was  obtained  in  the  year  1816.  An  expedition  consist- 
ing of  fifty-six  Europeans,  under  Captain  James  Kings- 
ton Tuckey,  was  sent  out  by  the  British  government. 
Its  objects  were  threefold ; to  remove  the  reproach  of 
ignorance ; to  decide  the  mooted  question  whether  the 
Congo  is  “ identical  with  the  Niger,”  and  to  seek  the 
sources  of  a river  which  “discharges  more  water  than 
the  Ganges  or  the  Nile.5’  Seldom  has  enterprise  so 
hopeful  in  its  inception  been  so  melancholy  in  its  prose- 
cution and  results.  The  expedition  which  was  to  have 
penetrated  to  the  heart  of  a continent,  with  difficulty 
advanced  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  miles  from 
the  coast.  Two  died  on  the  passage  out ; four  on  their 
way  up  the  Congo  in  boats  ; fourteen  in  a land  journey 
beyond  the  cataracts — twenty  in  all ; eighteen  of 
these  in  three  short  months.  The  physical  result  was  a 
tolerably  accurate  knowledge  of  the  river  to  a point  some 
sixty  miles  beyond  the  lowest  cataract ; the  moral  result 
was  the  discouragement  and  discontinuance  of  further 
effort  for  more  than  half  a century.  This  “ Tuckey ’s 
Farthest,”  the  Sanga  Yellala  Falls,  was  the  “ Cataract 


IN  THF  RAPIDS. 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


243 


Flyaway  ” which  Stanley  sought.  This  was  the  objective 
point  of  which  he  and  Frank  Pocock  had  so  often  spoken, 
and  the  intervening  district  was  the  link  wanting  to  com- 
plete the  work  he  and  Livingstone  had  brought  so  nigh 
completion.  Hoping  for  a speedy  and  prosperous  termi- 
nation of  his  labors,  he  prepared  to  pass  the  first  cata- 
ract of  the  Livingstone  Falls,  nine  hundred  miles  below 
the  Stanley  Falls.  In  this  distance  there  had  been  a 
reduction  in  level  of  only  three  hundred  and  sixty-four 
feet.  Stanley  Pool  was  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
forty-seven  feet  above  the  sea.  Cannibals  and  hostile 
natives  were  left  behind ; the  river  only  was  to  be  feared. 

The  first  cataract ! — Two  hundred  yards  of  broken 
water ; then  a smooth  surface.  Half  a mile  of  dangerous 
rapids;  quiet  once  more.  Then  four  miles  of  a wildly 
leaping  stream,  raging,  plunging,  whirling,  roaring  like 
the  Ancient  Mariner’s  ice  pack.  A stream  a hundred 
feet  or  more  in  depth,  dashing  through  a rocky  chasm, 
rolling  in  crests  and  troughs  like  old  ocean  lashed  by  a 
hurricane ; capable  of  hurling  along  the  most  powerful 
ocean  steamer  like  a cockle  shell ; hissing  through  its 
broken  channel  at  a speed  of  thirty  miles  per  hour. 
Niagara  is  a toy ; the  fabled  Scylla  and  Charybdis  a 
phantom ; the  maelstrom  a pigmy  burlesque.  Such  was 
the  first  cataract,  past  which  the  canoes  were  dragged 
overland.  Seven  days  were  employed  in  the  task. 
When  completed,  they  were  told  there  was  but  one  small 
cataract  below.  One  day,  March  24th,  was  spent  in 
rest. 

The  25th  found  the  expedition  at  work  in  a bad 
portion  of  the  river,  appropriately  styled  the  “ Cauldron. ” 
The  best  canoe,  the  London  Toivn,  was  torn  from 
the  hands  of  fifty  men,  and  swept  down  to  destruction. 
In  the  afternoon,  the  Glasgow , parting  her  cables, 


244  THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 

was  swept  away,  drawn  nearly  into  mid-river,  borne  up 
stream  half  a mile,' again  drawn  into  the  depths,  thrown 
np  in  a bay  near  where  Frank*  Was  camped,  and- .event- 
ually recovered.  Accidents  were  numerous,  because  of 
the  slippery  character  of  the  water-washed  crags  of 
trap.  There  were  falls,  bruises,  and  dislocated  limbs. 
Stanley  himself  fell  into  a chasm  thirty  feet  deep,  but 
fortunately  suffered  no  serious  injury  beyond  a momen- 
tary stunning. 

On  the  28th,  having  safely  passed  the  “ Cauldron, ” 
Stanley  was  about  embarking  to  proceed  a short  dis- 
tance to  the  Rocky  Island  Falls,  when  he  observed 
Kalulu,  one  of  his  favorites,  in  the  largest  canoe.  When 
asked  what  he  wanted  in  the  canoe,  he  answered,  “ I 
can  pull,  sir;  see!”  “Very  well,”  said  Stanley. 
Cautioning  all  to  follow  his  boat,  and  by  no  means  ven- 
ture out  in  the  current,  he  started.  The  river  was  about 
four  hundred  and  fifty  yards  wide,  and  near  the  shore 
one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  feet  deep,  with  a speed  of 
seven  miles  per  hour.  One  mile  down  the  stream  Stan- 
ley landed  six  hundred  yards  above  the  falls.  The 
first,  second  and  third  canoes  soon  safely  landed,  and 
Stanley  was  beginning  to  congratulate  himself  on  the 
completion  of  a good  day’s  work,  when  to  his  horror  he 
saw  the  Crocodile  far  out  in  the  river,  rushing  madly  to 
destruction.  Human  strength  availed  nothing,  and  he 
watched  in  agony,  for  several  of  his  best  men  were  in  it, 
besides  the  ill-fated  Kalulu.  The  canoe  dashed  over 
the  falls  into  the  rough  water,  whirled  around  three  or 
four  times,  plunged  down  into  the  depths,  and  presently 
emerged  stern  foremost,  and  Kalulu  and  his  canoe-mates 
were  no  more. 

Fast  following  this  terrible  calamity,  another  canoe 
with  two  men  in  it  glided  past  to  almost  certain  de- 


245 


: TL'nrrN’GSTONS'  FAnfcg. 

sfruction.  But  the  steersman,  by  a strange  chance, 
dexterously  shot  the  canoe  over  the  falls,  and  guiding  it 
near  the  shore  a mile  below,  managed  to  land  with  his 
companion.  They  then  returned  to  a point  opposite  the 
camp,  and  finally  sat  down,  in  silence  regarding  their 
companions  across  the  river.  The  full  tide  of  love  and 
sympathy  went  out  to  them  from  the  expedition,  but  the 
roar  of  the  falls  drowned  all  human  voices. 

But  the  greed  of  the  cruel  waters  was  not  yet  sated. 
Still  another  canoe,  a small  and  light  one,  with  only  the 
brave  lad  Soudi  in  it,  swept  by.  As  he  passed  the 
spectators,  he  cried,  “There  is  but  one  God;  I am  lost, 
master ! ” then  turned  to  face  his  fate.  Over  he  went, 
but  presently  emerged,  still  in  the  canoe,  was  whirled 
around  and  buffeted  by  the  great  waves,  finally  disap- 
pearing behind  the  end  of  an  island,  when  darkness  fell 
upon  the  day  of  horror.  Nine  men  lost  in  one  after- 
noon ! 

The  Kalulu  Falls  were  passed  after  four  days’ labor ; 
and  the  march  was  continued  down  the  river.  The  two 
absentees  followed  on  the  opposite  side  and  signaled 
often  to  their  companions.  In  the  passage  of  a mile 
and  a half  of  rapids  below  the  falls,  another  canoe  was 
lost,  reducing  the  number  of  vessels  to  thirteen. 

To  the  general  joy,  the  absentees  who  had  been  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river,  appeared  in  camp  in  the 
afternoon  of  April  1st,  accompanied  by  Soudi.  Soudi 
related  a strange  account  of  his  adventures.  He  had 
been  swept  over  the  upper  and  lower  falls,  and  the  in- 
tervening rapids,  and  had  been  carried  along  by  the 
current  till  an  hour  after  dark,  when  he  drifted  near  a 
rock.  He  sprang  out,  and,  seizing  his  canoe,  had  just 
landed  it,  when  he  was  caught  from  behind  and  his  arms 
bound  by  two  natives.  He  was  hurried  to  the  top  of 


246 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


the  mountain,  and  then  was  taken  for  an  hour  over  the 
highland,  finally  arriving  at  a village.  He  was 
taken  into  a hut,  where  he  was  kindly  treated  and  well 
fed,  hut  closely  watched.  In  the  morning  the  report  of 
his  capture  spread  over  the  village,  and  many  persons 
came  to  see  him.  One  of  the  visitors  had  seen  him  at 
Ntamo,  and  recognized  him  as  one  of  Stanley’s  men. 
Thereupon  the  visitor  charged  the  captors  with  having 
stolen  one  of  the  white  man’s  men,  and  drew  such  a 
picture  of  the  white  man  with  large  eyes  of  fire  and  long 
hair,  who  had  a gun  that  shot  all  day,  that  the  villagers 
were  terrified,  and  compelled  the  men  to  take  their  cap- 
tive back  where  they  found  him.  This  they  did,  return- 
ing his  clothes  and  begging  him  to  make  intercession  for 
them  with  the  white  king,  that  they  might  not  suffer  for 
their  proceedings. 

The  other  two  men,  seeking  for  means  to  cross  the 
river,  had  seen  Soudi  sitting  by  his  canoe,  and  all  then 
ventured  to  cross  the  river,  which  they  accomplished 
without  mishap. 

On  the  3d  of  April,  another  mile  and  a half  of  rap- 
ids was  descended,  though  not  without  accident.  A 
canoe,  containing  fifty  tusks  of  ivory  and  a sack  of  beads, 
was  upset.  Four  men  had  narrow  escapes  from  drown- 
ing, but  were  saved  by  Uledi.  Stanley  himself  fell  head- 
long into  the  water,  and  with  difficulty  kept  himself 
from  being  swept  away. 

Five  or  six  days  were  spent  in  passing  the  rough 
water  immediately  below.  The  usual  method  was  to  be- 
gin with  Frank  leading  an  expedition  overland  and  form- 
ing a camp,  while  Stanley,  with  the  younger  men,  moved 
the  caravan  by. land  or  water.  The  8th,  9th  and  10th  of 
April  were  spent  in  passing  some  whirlpools  and  rapids, 
but  no  serious  accidents  occurred.  Once,  the  boat  was 


INTERIOR  OF  AN  AFRICAN  VILLAGE. 


248 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


caught  between  two  rocks,  but  was  gotten  off  without  much 
damage.  The  natives  of  this  district  were  very  hospit- 
able, and  vegetables  were  cheap.  But  meat  was  out  of 
the  question.  The  stores  were  running  low,  and  every 
moment  of  daylight  had  to  be  used  in  pressing  on. 

The  12th  saw  Stanley  in  a perilous  situation.  A 
broad  fall  was  succeeded  by  a narrow  stream,  and  a 
rocky  islet,  which  caused  the  waves  from  either  side  to 
meet  in  a foamy  central  dyke  of  turbulent  water.  On 
either  side  was  a wall  of  boulders  and  crags  hundreds  of 
feet  in  height.  A little  lower  down,  three  rocky  islets 
divided  the  boiling  stream.  Beaching  this  strip  of 
water,  known  as  the  Lady  Alice  Bapids,  by  noon,  prepa- 
rations were  made  to  descend  the  stream  direct,  keeping 
to  the  shore.  Stanley,  with  the  boat’s  crew,  was  to  take 
the  Lacly  Alice  down,  aided  by  strong  cane  cables,  lashed 
to  the  bow  and  stern,  and  held  by  those  on  shore. 
Scarcely  had  they  reached  the  top  of  the  rapids,  when 
the  boat  was  swept  from  the  grasp  of  those  on  shore, 
and  driven  into  the  madly  rushing  waters.  One  man 
was  dragged  into  the  flood,  but  Stanley  was,  fortunately, 
able  to  assist  him  into  the  boat. 

Onward  they  furiously  rushed,  Stanley  directing 
Uledi  by  motions  of  his  hand,  as  the  voice  could  not  be 
heard  in  the  uproar  of  waters.  Oars  and  helm  were 
strained  to  avoid  the  rocks,  past  'Which  they  sped  with 
increasing  velocity.  One  or  two  of  the  crew  screamed 
in  terror.  The  land  party  was  passed.  On  they  rushed, 
till  they  were  borne  down  two  miles.  A sudden  rum- 
bling noise  caused  them  to  look  down,  when  they  saw 
the  river  heaved  bodily  upward.  Divining  what  was  to 
follow,  the  men  pulled  frantically  at  their  oars,  and  had 
passed  the  spot  before  the  river  began  its  usual  fatal 
circling.  A few  moments  longer  they  were  tossed  by  the 


THE  LIVINGSTONE  FALLS. 


249 


waves,  now  this  way,  now  that,  now  spinning  in  a whirl- 
pool ; when,  taking  advantage  of  a calm  moment,  they 
succeeded  in  landing  the  boat.  A messenger  was  then 
sent  to  the  despairing  people  above,  who  had  given  them 
up  as  lost.  In  about  an  hour  a straggling  line  of  souls 
appeared,  making  extravagant  demonstrations  of  joy  at 
the  narrow  escape  of  their  comrades  and  master.  Such 
incidents  as  these  served  to  bind  all  more  closely  to- 
gether, and  to  supplant  the  spirit  of  hirelings  with  that 
of  companions.  The  bold  Uledi  was  with  Stanley  almost 
everywhere.  Pocock  had  merged  from  the  servant  into 
the  loved  and  trusted  friend.  And  his  was  not  the  least 
joy  at  the  providential  escape  of  Stanley  and  his  crew 
from  the  treacherous  river. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


'HE  first  camp  below  the  Lady  Alice  Rapids  was 
in  a remarkable  situation.  Four  cataracts 
were  in  sight.  The  whole  region  through  which 
Stanley  was  now  traveling,  was  rough  and  mountain- 
ous. Most  of  the  rocks  were  of  igneous  formation ; in 
fact,  nearly  all  the  cataracts  were  caused  by  upheaved 
trap  dykes.  Trap  and  basalt,  being  far  harder  than 
most  other  rocks,  wear  very  slowly.  The  Congo  was 
not  alone  in  the  possession  of  cataracts.  These  could 
be  noticed  in  a considerable  stream  which  emptied  into 
the  Congo  just  below  Stanley  Pool.  This  stream  was 
named  the  Gordon  Bennett  River.  At  the  camp  above 
mentioned,  the  Nkenke  River  cascaded  into  the  Congo 
from  a precipitous  slope  1,000  feet  in  height ; from  a 
cliff  opposite,  a river  dashed  down  400  feet.  The  roar 
of  these  streams,  combined  with  the  swash  of  the  rapids 
above,  and  the  sullen  thunder  of  a Congo  cataract  two 
miles  below,  is  something  for  the  imagination — not  for 
description.  Such  an  interminable  booming,  and  the 
deep,  dark  vales  and  precipitous  crags  among  which  the 
expedition  journeyed,  could  not  but  have  a most  de- 
pressing influence  upon  all. 

Something  of  the  extreme  difficulty  of  progress  here 
may  be  inferred  when  we  note  that  it  took  four  days  to 

> (250) 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


251 


get  the  canoes  down  the  three  miles  the  Lady  Alice  had 
involuntarily  descended  in  fifteen  minutes,  and  even 
then  accidents  were  numerous,  and  escapes  narrow. 
Each  canoe  was  held  by  eight  cables,  each  cable  by 
five  men.  “One  canoe,  with  a man  named  Nubi  in  it, 
was  torn  from  the  hands  of  forty  men,  swept  down  two 
miles,  and  sunk  in  the  great  whirlpool.  Nubi  clung  to 
his  vessel,  until  taken  down  a second  time,  when  he 
and  the  canoe  were  ejected  fifty  yards  apart ; but  being 
an  expert  swimmer,  he  regained  it  in  the  Nkenke  basin, 
and,  astride  of  its  keel,  was  circling  round  with  the 
strong  ebb  tide,  when  he  was  saved  by  the  dashing 
Uledi  and  his  young  brother  Shumari.”  A few  mo- 
ments later,  a canoe  with  three  men,  almost  paralyzed 
with  terror,  was  observed  drifting  into  the  rapids.  The 
sudden  stentorian  shout  of  Stanley  roused  them  from 
their  stupor,  and  they  managed  to  paddle  safely  ashore. 

Shooting  the  rapids  in  the  descent  from  Nkenke 
Bay  on  the  18th,  a canoe  was  wrecked,  but  the  loss  was 
made  good  by  the  recovery  of  a large  one  lost  up  the 
river.  It  had  been  taken  up  by  some  fishermen,  who 
readily  gave  it  up  on  receiving  a small  sum  in  pay- 
ment. At  this  camp,  it  was  discovered  that  his  people 
were  robbing  Stanley  most  shamefully,  and  a search 
was  made  without  warning,  and  a considerable  amount 
of  stolen  goods  recovered.  The  boldest  thief,  fearing 
punishment,  absconded,  and  never  returned. 

From  two  to  four  miles  a day  was  gained  for  a 
week.  April  21st,  some  Bassesse  villagers  told  Stanley 
that  there  was  but  one  fall  below,  but  that  it  leaped 
from  a cliff  as  high  as  that  on  which  their  village  stood. 
Stanley  was  rejoiced,  believing  he  had  at  last  reached 
“Tuckey’s  Farthest.”  Five  days  brought  him  to  these 
falls,  the  Inkisi.  Forty-two  days  had  been  spent  in  the 


252 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


cataracts,  and  the  total  distance  was  forty-five  miles ! 

The  Inkisi  Falls  have  no  direct  drop ; the  river  is 
forced  through  a chasm  500  yards  wide,  and  with  a 
considerable  slope.  The  dashing  waters  recoil  from  the 
sides,  and  meet  plunging,  roaring  and  curling  in  the 
center.  The  gorge  is  two  miles  long.  On  either  side  is 
an  elevated  tableland,  1,200  feet  above  the  stream. 

The  position  was  perplexing.  After  a careful  sur- 
vey of  the  falls,  Stanley,  being  told  there  were  no  more 
great  cataracts  below,  concluded  this  must  be  “ Tuekey’s 
Farthest ; ” and  at  once  he  determined  to  drag  his 
canoes  over  the  mountain,  and  reach  clear  water  be- 
yond. Upon  his  announcing  this,  the  natives  stared  by 
turns  at  him  and  the  steep,  craggy,  forest-grown  mount- 
ain, in  horror.  Then,  climbing  the  steep  ascent,  they 
secured  their  livestock,  and  scattered  the  report  that 
the  white  man  was  going  to  fly  his  canoes  over  the 
mountain ; while  the  Bassesse  opposite  gathered  on  the 
cliffs  to  see  his  magical  boats  swim  through  the 
cataract ! 

To  work  all  hands  went,  clearing  a road  to  the 
summit.  The  boat  and  a small  canoe  being  carried  to 
the  top,  the  natives  were  vastly  pleased,  and  as  no 
witchcraft  had  injured  their  belongings,  they  were  easily 
hired  to  assist  in  the  work.  By  April  28th  the  task 
was  completed.  Kacheche  was  sent  overland  with  six 
men  to  explore  for  ten  miles.  Manwa  Sera  was  left  in 
charge  of  the  camp  on  the  mountain,  to  bring  forward 
the  canoes  as  fast  as  possible,  and  Stanley  pushed  for- 
ward to  Nzabi  with  the  stores,  and  established  a new 
camp  there,  where  he  intended  to  once  more  take  to  the 
water.  Manwa  Sera  completed  his  task  by  the  15th  of 
April. 

In  this  region  all  manner  of  European  cloths  and 


OVERLAND  WITH  THE  CANOES. 


254 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


utensils  were  abundant ; and  for  this  reason  provisions 
were  dear.  Stanley  and  Pocock  were  now  in  sore 
straits.  Sugar  had  given  out  in  Uregga,  coffee  at  Yinya 
Njara,  and  now  tea  was  exhausted.  Frank’s  shoes  were 
gone,  and  Stanley’s  nearly  so.  Frank  was  reduced  to 
such  sandals  as  he  could  extemporize  out  of  accessible 
materials.  This  was  so  wearisome  a task  that  he  fre- 
quently went  barefooted ; an  act  Stanley  continually  re- 
buked, both  on  moral  and  hygienic  grounds.  The  white 
man,  in  the  eye  of  the  savage,  abolishes  much  of  his 
superiority  when  he  lays  aside  his  foot  gear.  And 
further,  all  of  the  people  were  in  poor  condition  from 
poor  fare  and  hard  labor  and  exposure.  Ulcers  were 
abundant.  Any  serious  abrasion  of  the  skin  resulted  in 
one,  and  this  region  abounded  in  mosquitoes  and  skin-in- 
festing vermin.  Any  man  with  unprotected  feet  ran 
serious  risks.  One  or  two  already  had  their  feet 
almost  eaten  away  by  malignant  ulcers  aggravated  by 
these  pests.  And  before  the  party  broke  camp  at  Nzabi, 
Prank  himself  had  a small  ulcer  upon  each  foot. 

While  Manwa  Sera  was  hauling  the  canoes  to  the 
new  camp,  Stanley  determined  to  make  a new  canoe  to 
replace  one  of  the  nine  he  had  lost.  The  friendly  old 
chief  of  Nzabi  gave  permission  to  use  any  of  the  largest 
trees  in  his  territory.  After  careful  examination  of  the 
various  woods,  Stanley  set  his  men  to  work  on  a large 
ubani  tree,  whose  timber,  though  soft,  is  strong.  Uledi 
was  in  this,  as  in  other  labors,  the  most  enthusiastic 
workman,  swinging  his  axe  as  though  never  tired ; 
and  by  the  22d  of  May  three  large  canoes,  the  Living- 
stone,  the  Jason,  and  the  Stanley,  were  afloat  in  the 
stream. 

An  incident  which  occurred  during  the  hewing  of 
the  canoes  shows  how  strongly  the  West  African  is  im- 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


255 


bued  with  a belief  in  witchcraft  and  fetish.  The  axes 
needed  repairing.  Kacheche  was  sent  to  seek  a black- 
smith. After  a long  search  one  was  found  near  Mowa 
market.  While  the  man  was  at  work  a piece  of  glow- 
ing iron  flew  off  and  burnt  the  breast  of  one  of  his  chil- 
dren. The  enraged  father  beat  the  war  drum,  summon- 
ing his  countrymen  to  see  what  all  the  hullabaloo  was 
about.  Kacheche,  in  answer  to  the  father’s  charge  of 
bad  fetish,  folded  his  arms,  and  appealed  to  the  com- 
mon sense  of  the  people.  The  father  insisted  it  was  bad 
fetish,  and  that  only  the  property  of  an  evilly  disposed 
person  could  have  wrought  such  hurt  to  an  innocent 
child.  Things  looked  squally.  At  this  juncture  the 
chief  of  Nzabi  passed  by,  and  induced  the  blacksmith  to 
condone  the  offense  for  fifteen  cowries  extra.  A general 
laugh,  and  drinking  and  handshaking,  and  tales  of  the 
wonders  of  fetish  closed  the  scene. 

While  in  this  place,  various  complaints  of  theft 
were  brought  by  the  natives  against  those  under  com- 
mand of  Manwa  Sera.  One  man  was  caught  stealing, 
and  Stanley  spent  an  entire  day  negotiating  for  his 
freedom,  and  was  finally  compelled  to  pay  cloth  to  the 
value  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  his  redemp- 
tion. As  he  could  not  afford  lo  pay  such  exorbitant 
prices  for  their  release,  he  decreed  for  the  fiftieth  time 
that  anyone  caught  stealing  thereafter  should  be  left 
with  his  captors  as  a slave. 

The  chief  of  Nzabi  astonished  Stanley  by  the  asser- 
tion that  there  were  five  large  falls  still  below.  This  in- 
formation proved  far  more  reliable  than  any  yet  received ; 
and  for  the  reason  that,  toward  the  coast,  trade  and 
travel  are  more  common. 

The  2 2d  of  May  saw  the  expedition,  a little  refreshed 
by  brief  rest,  once  more  afloat  on  its  journey.  Frank 


A FETISH  DANC 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


257 


Pocock’s  ulcers  had  been  neglected  till  they  were  so 
serious  as  to  prevent  his  traveling  by  land,  and  in 
consequence  he  was  assigned  to  the  boat.  This  aroused 
the  chaffing  propensities  of  the  humorous  gamin  Baraka, 
who  at  once  began  to  twit  him  with  being  a “ Goee- 
Goee  ” — an  untranslatable  nickname  he  had  in- 
vented for  those  on  the  sick-list.  It  means,  as  nearly 
as  we  can  express  it,  “despairing,  forlorn  good-for-noth- 
ings.” Frank  took  the  gibes  good-naturedly;  he  had 
plenty  of  company;  thirteen  others  were  in  various 
ways  incapacitated  for  work.  Stanley,  with  the  strongest 
of  the  party,  went  overland  to  the  Mowa  Falls,  a dis- 
tance of  three  miles ; while  the  gallant  Uledi,  Manwa 
Sera,  Chowpereh,  and  Frank  managed  the  canoe  party. 

On  the  27th  of  May  all  hands  arrived  in  the  camp 
below  the  great  Mowa  Falls,  having  sustained  no  worse 
accident  for  several  days  than  a slight  injury  to  the 
Lady  Alice,  which  was  easily  repaired. 

And  now  we  have  an  incident  which  we  at  once  re- 
gret and  rejoice  to  record.  We  have  seen  how  faithful 
and  diligent  Uledi  has  been ; Uledi,  the  best  soldier, 
sailor  and  artisan  of  the  expedition ; Uledi,  who  had  up 
to  this  time  saved  thirteen  persons  from  drowning ; who 
was  ever  ready  to  risk  life  or  limb  for  a mere  wish  of  his 
employer;  who  had  made  himself  the  favorite  of  his 
master,  and  of  his  companions,  doing  for  others  often 
what  they  would  never  have  done  for  him — to  find  a 
grave  fault  in  this  man  is  shattering  a cherished  idol. 
But  it  brings  to  light  the  nobility  in  others. 

It  was  in  the  evening  of  the  27th  of  May.  The  ex- 
pedition had  been  passing  the  Lower  and  Great  Mowa 
Falls.  After  all  had  reached  camp,  the  boy  Majwara 
came  and  reported  that  in  the  transport  of  goods  from  the 


258 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


Upper  Mowa  camp  a sack  of  beads  had  been  ripped 
open,  and  a considerable  quantity  of  beads  abstracted. 

44  Beads  abstracted ! at  such  a period,  when  every 
bead  is  of  more  value  to  me  than  its  bulk  in  gold  or 
gems ; when  the  lives  of  so  many  people  depend  upon 
the  strictest  economy ; when  I have  punished  myself  by 
the  most  rigid  abstinence  from  meat,  in  order  to  feed 
the  people  ! 

44  ‘Who  was  the  thief,  Majwara?  Speak,  and  I will 
make  an  example  of  him.’ 

44  He  was  not  sure,  but  thought  it  must  be  Uledi. 

44  4 Uledi ! not  Uledi  the  cockswain?  ’ 

44  4 Yes,  replied  Majwara  timidly. 

44  Uledi  was  called,  and  while  he  was  kept  waiting 
Kacheche  was  called  and  told  in  Uledi’s  presence — wThile 
I watched  his  face — to  seize  upon  everything  belonging 
to  him  and  his  wife,  and  produce  everything  before  me 
unopened.  Uledi  was  asked  to  confess  if  he  possessed 
any  beads  to  which  he  had  no  right.  He  replied,  4 None.’ 
Kacheche  was  then  told  to  open  his  mat,  and  in  the  mat 
were  discovered  nearly  five  pounds  of  the  fine  Sami- 
Sami  beads,  sufficient  for  nearly  two  days’  provisions 
for  the  whole  expedition  ! He  was  placed  under  guard.” 
At  sunset  the  entire  expedition  was  mustered.  Stan- 
ley reminded  them  of  the  continual  thefts  of  his  goods ; 
of  the  fact  that  he  and  Frank  had  been  waiving  their 
own  rights  and  endeavoring  to  keep  the  rest  supplied ; 
yet  they  were  almost  sure  to  be  reduced  to  starvation 
ere  reaching  the  sea.  Some  terrible  example  must  be 
made  of  a thief.  That  day  a man  had  been  found  with 
a large  stock  of  stolen  beads ; that  man  was  Uledi ; what 
should  be  done  with  him  ? 

44  After  much  urging,  Manwa  Sera  said  that  it  was 
a very  hard  case,  seeing  that  it  was  Uledi.  Had  it  been 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


259 


any  of  the  men  who  for  montns  had  been  tenderly  cared 
for,  who  had  not  toiled  from  morn  till  eve  in  the  cata- 
racts, nor  borne  the  toil  and  fatigue  of  the  day,  who 
had  never  been  distinguished  for  worth  but  were  always 
a shiftless  and  cowardly  set,  he  would  have  given  his 
vote  for  drowning  him  by  hanging  a stone  around  his 
neck  and  pitching  him  into  the  river ; but  as  it  happened 
to  be  Uledi,  he  therefore  proposed  that  he  should  re- 
ceive a thorough  flogging,  to  deter  others  from  repeat- 
ing the  crime.  The  votes  of  the  chiefs  were  in  accord 
with  this,  and  three-fourths  of  the  people  cried  out  for 
flogging. 

“Then  I turned  to  the  boat’s  crew,  and  said,  ‘Now, 
you  boys,  you  who  know  Uledi  so  well,  and  have  followed 
him  like  children  through  a hundred  rough  scenes, 
— speak ; what  shall  be  done  with  him  ? ’ 

“Mpwapwa,  one  of  the  most  reliable  and  steady 
men,  replied:  ‘Well,  master,  it  is  a hard  question. 
Uledi  is  like  our  elder  brother,  and  to  give  our  voice  for 
punishing  him  would  be  like  asking  you  to  punish  our- 
selves. But  the  fathers  of  the  people  have  demanded 
that  he  shall  be  beaten,  and  I am  only  like  a boy 
among  them.  Yet,  master,  for  our  sakes,  beat  him 
only  just  a little.  Mpwapwa  has  said.’ 

“ ‘And  you,  Marzouk’ — Uledi’s  companion  on  the 
rock  at  the  fourth  cataract  of  the  Stanley  falls — ‘ what  do 
you  say  ? : 

“ ‘ Yerily,  master,  Mpwapwa  has  spoken  what  my 
tongue  would  have  uttered ; yet  I would  say,  remember 
it  is  Uledi.’ 

“‘And  you,  Shumari,  who  are  Uledi’s  brother, 
what  punishment  shall  I mete  out  to  this  thief  who 
would  starve  everybody — you  and  me  ? ’ 

“‘Ah!  dear  master,  your  words  are  as  lead. 





260  CONTINUED  PERILS. 

Spare  him  ! It  is  true  Uledi  has  done  very  wrong,  and 
has  stolen.  He  is  always  stealing,  and  I have  scolded 
him  often  for  it.  I have  never  stolen.  No  man  can 
accuse  me  of  taking  that  which  did  not  belong  to  me, 
and  I am  but  a boy  and  Uledi  is  my  elder.  But  please, 
master,  as  the  chiefs  say  he  must  be  flogged,  give  me  half 
of  it,  and  knowing  it  is  for  Uledi’s  sake  I shall  notfeel  it.’ 
‘“Now,  Saywa,  you  are  his  cousin;  what  do 
you  say  ? Ought  not  Uledi  to  receive  the  severest  pun- 
ishment to  prevent  others  from  stealing  ? ’ 

“ ‘ Will  the  master  give  his  slave  liberty  to  speak?  ’ 
“ £ Yes,  say  all  that  is  in  your  heart,  Saywa.’ 

“ Young  Saywa  then  advanced,  and  kneeling, 
seized  my  feet  and  embraced  them,  and  then  said : — 

“ ‘ The  master  is  wise.  All  things  that  happen 
he  writes  in  a book.  Each  day  there  is  something 
written.  We  black  men  know  nothing,  neither  have  we 
any  memory.  What  we  saw  yesterday  is  to-day  for- 
gotten. Yet  the  master  forgets  nothing.  Perhaps  if 
the  master  will  look  in  his  books,  he  will  see  something 
in  them  about  Uledi : how  Uledi  behaved  on  Lake 
Tanganyika;  how  he  rescued  Zaidi  from  the  cataract; 
how  he  has  saved  many  men,  whose  names  I cannot 
remember,  from  the  river ; how  he  worked  harder  on 
the  canoes  than  any  three  men ; how  he  has  been  the 
first  to  listen  to  your  voice  always ; how  he  has  been 
the  father  of  the  boat-boys,  and  many  other  things. 
With  Uledi,  master,  the  boat-boys  are  good  and  ready ; 
without  him  they  are  nothing.  Uledi  is  Shumari’s 
brother.  If  Uledi  is  bad,  Shumari  is  good.  Uledi  is 
my  cousin.  If,  as  the  chiefs  say,  Uledi  should  be  pun- 
ished, Shumari  says  he  will  take  a half  of  the  punish- 
ment ; then  give  Saywa  the  other  half,  and  set  Uledi 
free.  Saywa  has  spoken.’ 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


261 


“‘Very  well,’  I said.  ‘Uledi,  by  the  voice  of  the 
people,  is  condemned,  but  as  Shumari  and  Saywa  have 
promised  to  take  the  punishment  on  themselves,  Uledi 
is  set  free,  and  Shumari  and  Saywa  are  pardoned ! ’ 

“Uledi,  upon  being  released,  advanced  and  said: 
“Master,  it  was  not  Uledi  who  stole.  It  was  the  devil 
which  entered  into  his  heart.  Uledi  will  be  good  in 
future,  and  if  he  pleased  his  master  before,  he  will 
please  his  master  much  more  in  time  to  come.’  ” 

Like  all  West  Africans,  the  Babwende  around 
Mowa  are  extremely  superstitious.  The  slightest  unto- 
ward accident  is  attributed  to  bad  fetish.  Some  one 
must  suffer.  The  faith-curist  should  reap  a rich  har- 
vest there ; for  all  disease  and  trouble  they  firmly  be- 
lieve to  come  from  the  devil.  Any  written  matter  is 
viewed  by  them  with  special  suspicion.  Three  days 
after  the  trial  of  Uledi,  Stanley,  encouraged  by  the 
friendliness  of  the  natives,  took  his  note-book  out  in 
their  camp  to  jot  down  some  items.  In  a few  moments 
there  was  a great  hubbub ; the  natives  ran  away,  shout- 
ing their  war  cries.  Two  hours  later  several  hundred 
musket-armed  savages  marched  into  camp,  and  de- 
manded that  the  “ Mundele  ” should  burn  the  tara-tara 
upon  which  he  had  made  marks.  Otherwise  they  would 
fight. 

Burn  his  valuable  notes  ? Never.  But  something 
must  be  don6.  Turning  over  his  book-box,  Stanley  hit 
upon  a well-worn  copy  of  Shakespeare ; the  companion 
of  many  lonely  hours.  Being  of  the  same  size  as  the 
note-book,  and  similarly  bound,  the  natives  readily  pro- 
nounced it  to  be  the  objectionable  article.  It  was  burnt ; 
the  notes  were  saved. 

“Ah-h-h,”  sighed  the  natives,  “the  Mundele  is 


262 


CONTINUED  PERILS. 


good — very  good.  He  loves  his  Mowa  friends.  There 
is  no  trouble  now.” 

Superstitious  as  these  people  were,  they  were  of  a 
higher  type  than  those  found  in  another  region  by  a 
French  traveler.  To  them,  as  shown  in  our  illustration, 
a newspaper  was  a novel  and  beautiful  ornament.  The 
traveler,  having  carelessly  left  one  of  his  papers  for  a 
moment,  returned  to  find  one  of  the  naked  vagrants 
seated  on  the  ground,  while  his  companions  stood  around 
with  hands  upraised  and  mouths  agape,  uttering  a chorus 
of  cries  of  admiration.  The  scene  is  suggestive  of  the 
king  of  the  cannibals,  whose  full  dress  costume,  on  state 
occasions,  consisted  of  a shirt  collar  and  eye-glass,  and 
who  was  in  consequence  styled  by  his  loving  subjects, 
“ The  Magnificent.” 

The  viewing  of  written  characters  with  suspicion  is 
not  confined  to  Africa.  It  is  quite  common  among  many 
of  the  more  ignorant  Asiatic  tribes. 


USE  OF  A #»  *IWSPA  PER. 


CHAPTER  XXL 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


EVEN  days  were  spent  in  camp  at  Mowa,  and 
the  time  was,  as  usual,  improved  by  Stanley  in 
^ making  notes  of  the  surrounding  country  and 

the  most  interesting  native  customs.  The  ulcers  on 
Frank’s  feet  had  by  this  time  become  so  virulent  that 
he  was  unable  to  travel,  and  was,  as  a consequence, 
carried  in  a hammock,  when  he  could  not  go  in  a canoe. 
Though  disabled,  he  was  not  idle,  and  devoted  his  time 
to  mending,  patching,  and  such  other  sedentary  employ- 
ment as  he  was  able  to  perform.  He  also  enlivened 
the  camp  by  his  cheery  songs,  and  was  an  exceedingly 
pleasant  companion  to  Stanley. 

The  third  of  June  found  all  refreshed  and  ready  to 
leave  Mowa,  and  proceed  to  Zinga.  Kacheche  and 
Wadi  Rehani,  because  of  Frank’s  disability,  were 
sent  in  charge  of  the  land  party  with  the  goods,  and 
the  invalids,  women  and  children. 

Stanley  himself  set  out  ahead  of  the  land  party, 
to  select  a camp,  and  prepare  the  natives  for  his  com- 
ing. 

He  attempted  to  make  the  trip  down  the  river  in 
the  boat,  but  venturing  into  the  rough  water,  was  almost 
lost,  being  saved  only  by  the  most  frantic  exertions. 
Finding  the  boat  very  leaky,  and  hard  to  manage,  he 

(264) 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR 


265 


returned  to  Mowa  to  take  his  swiftest  canoe  and  start 
afresh.  But  the  boat  boys  scattered  out  in  search  of 
food,  and  being  unwilling  to  wait,  lest  the  overland 
party  should  be  ill  treated  by  the  natives,  Stanley  deter- 
mined to  go  on  afoot. 

Before  leaving,  he  gave  very  explicit  directions  to 
Manwa  Sera  concerning  the  transport  of  the  canoes, 
strictly  enjoining  him  to  be  cautious  in  the  river.  He 
also  instructed  Frank  to  wait  till  some  men  could  be 
sent  to  carry  him,  telling  him  if  the  men  did  not  come 
in  time,  to  take  others  and  proceed  overland  in  a ham- 
mock. 

The  natives  of  the  Zinga  were  kind,  and  Stanley 
soon  established  a fast  and  sure  friendship,  which  was 
never  broken.  Having  completed  all  his  arrangements, 
about  three  o’clock  he  took  his  stand  in  an  elevated  po- 
sition, and  began  to  survey  the  river  with  a field-glass. 
He  had  not  been  long  in  this  place  before  he  saw  a 
capsized  canoe,  with  several  men  clinging  to  it,  floating 
down  the  current. 

Kacheche  was  instantly  sent  with  eleven  men  and 
canoe  ropes  to  a point  where  the  current  would  drift  the 
v hapless  men  close  in  shore  before  finally  hurling  them 
over  the  great  Zinga  falls.  Stanley  still  watched  the 
unfortunate  men,  and  saw  them  strive  bravely  to  right 
the  canoe,  and  failing  in  this,  draw  themselves  up  on 
the  keel,  and  paddle  for  dear  life  to  avoid  the  terrible 
falls.  Finally,  as  the  canoe  drifted  near  the  shore,  the 
men  abandoned  it,  and  swam  ashore,  /and  a moment 
later  the  canoe  darted  by  with  the  speed  of  an  arrow 
over  the  cataract,  through  the  waves,  into  the  unfathom- 
able depths  of  the  whirlpool,  and  so  away  out  of  sight. 

“ Bad  news  travels  fast.  Kacheche,  breathless 
with  haste,  and  livid  with  horror,  announced  that  of  the 


266 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


eleven  men  embarked  in  the  canoe,  eight  only  were 
saved. 

“ Three  are  lost — and — one  of  them  is  the  little 
master .” 

“ The  little  master , Kaclieche?”  gasped  Stanley, 
Surely,  not  the  little  master ! ” 

“ Yes,  he  is  lost,  master.” 

In  response  to  his  eager  inquiries  as  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  tragic  affair,  Stanley  elicited  the  follow- 
ing account  from  Uledi  and  his  companions,  who  had 
come  up  dripping  wet,  and  were  still  brown-faced  with 
their  terror. 

As  Uledi  and  his  crew  were  about  to  push  off, 
Frank  had  crawled  up  near  the  river,  and  told  them  to 
take  him  along.  Uledi  expostulated  on  the  ground  that 
he  had  no  orders  about  taking  him,  but  Frank  persisted 
with  all  a sick  man’s  impatience,  and  finally  compelled 
them  to  assist  him  into  the  canoe.  The  Jason  was 
swift  and  well-manned,  and  in  half  an  hour  had  de- 
scended the  river  through  the  Massesse  rapids,  till  the 
booming  roar  of  the  Massassa  falls  warned  them  of 
danger  ahead.  With  Frank’s  permission,  Uledi  then 
landed  and  went  to  where  he  could  view  the  falls.  He 
soon  returned  and  reported  them  impassable.  Frank 
was  incredulous,  so  Uledi  went  a second  time  with  two 
others,  that  his  opinion  might  be  confirmed.  They  also 
reported  that  no  canoe  could  live  through  the  mad  bil- 
lows. Still  Frank  thought  they  were  magnifying  the 
danger,  and  taunted  Uledi  with  being  afraid.  Uledi 
then  reminded  him  of  the  many  examples  he  had  al- 
ready given  of  his  bravery,  when  Frank  exclaimed, 
“ Well,  if  you  are  not  afraid,  the  others  are.”  Uledi  ex- 
plained to  him  that  all  considered  it  death  to  venture 
farther  on  the  river,  but  still  Frank  taunted  the  men 


CATARACT  AND  WHIRLPOOL. 


268 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


till  their  mettle  was  roused,  and  they  told  him  they 
would  make  the  trial  if  he  would  stand  responsible  for 
the  consequences. 

Frank  said,  no ! Uledi  was  chief  in  the  canoe, 
and  must  give  all  orders.  He  could  go  if  he  chose ; if 
not,  Frank  would  know  it  was  because  he  was  afraid. 
He  could  do  as  he  pleased. 

Terrible  folly  this,  to  so  taunt  and  urge  a man  so 
brave  as  Uledi.  It  was  Frank’s  weak  point. 

Uledi  turned  to  his  men : “ Boys,  our  little  master 
is  saying  we  are  afraid  of  death.  I know  there  is  death 
in  the  cataract,  but  come,  let  us  show  him  that  black 
men  fear  death  as  little  as  white  men.  ” They  shoved 
into  the  stream. 

The  current  was  smooth,  but  very  swift ; the  fall 
was  diagonally  across;  the  canoe  was  on  the  right  side 
of  the  stream,  near  the  upper  end  of  the  fall.  At 
Frank’s  orders  they  endeavored  to  cross  the  stream  so 
as  to  glide  down  by  the  comparatively  safe  current  on 
the  left  side.  It  soon  became  apparent  that  this  was 
impossible,  as  they  were  rapidly  being  borne  broadside 
on  to  the  falls.  Uledi  then  headed  the  canoe  straight 
over,  and  boldly  bore  down  to  the  center.  As  the 
thunder  of  the  water  increased,  Frank  stood  up  and 
saw  too  late  the  fearful  danger.  Over  the  canoe  went, 
into  the  terrible  whirlpools.  Shouting  to  the  men  to 
hold  on  for  their  lives,  he  started  to  tear  away  his 
shirt,  and  prepare  himself  for  a life  and  death  struggle. 
Before  he  finished  his  preparations  the  canoe  was  en- 
gulfed in  the  abyss,  and  the  seething  waters  closed  over 
all.  The  river  then  belched  upward,  and  the  canoe  was 
disgorged  into  the  bright  sunlight,  with  several  gasping 
men  clinging  to  it.  Counting  their  number,  they  found 
only  eight  alive,  and  alas ! there  was  no  white  face 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


269 


among  them.  Presently  another  heaving  of  the  waters 
close  to  them  showed  the  insensible  form  of  the  “little 
master,”  and  a loud  moan  was  heard  from  him.  Uledi 
struck  gallantly  toward  him,  but  ere  he  could  reach 
him,  another  pool  sucked  them  both  under.  A second 
time  the  gallant  cockswain  emerged,  faint  and  weary, 
but  Frank  Pocock  was  seen  no  more. 

“My  brave,  honest,  kindly-natured  Frank,”  cried 
Stanley,  “ have  you  left  me  so  ? Oh,  my  long-tried 
friend,  what  fatal  rashness ! Ah  Uledi,  had  you  but 
saved  him,  I should  have  made  you  a rich  man.” 

“‘Our  fate  is  in  the  hands  of  God,  master,’  re- 
plied he,  sadly  and  wearily.” 

All  over  the  surrounding  country  the  woful  tale 
rapidly  circulated.  The  natives  crowded  round,  offering 
real  and  heart-felt  sympathy  after  their  lights.  The 
large  crowds  spoke  together  in  subdued  tones,  as  though 
sincerely  affected  by  the  tragic  end  of  Stanley’s  be- 
loved companion.  “The  brother  of  the  Mundele  is  lost 
at  Massassa,”  they  said.  Ndala,  the  kindly  chief  of 
Zinga,  drove  away  the  throngs  of  natives,  that  Stanley 
might  be  undisturbed.  He  and  his  wives,  and  two  or 
three  chiefs  seated  themselves  around  to  condole  with 
Stanley ; they  said  it  was  the  work  of  the  bad  fetish  of 
the  Massassa  people,  and  if  Stanley  was  willing  they 
would  utterly  destroy  them.  Their  sorrow  was  deep 
and  sincere. 

The  Wangwana  were  differently  affected.  They 
were  stupefied ; their  faculties  of  feeling,  hope  and  action 
were  benumbed.  Home  was  now  an  idle  myth. 
Hitherto  there  had  been  a confidence  in  fate,  and  the 
energy  of  desperation.  Henceforth  it  was  the  dark  side 
of  the  same  fatality,  and  the  sullenness  of  desperation. 
From  this  time  forward  they  exhibited  a doggedness  and 


270 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


lack  of  feeling  for  themselves  and  their  comrades.  The 
most  trifling  ailment  would  cause  them  to  lean  on  a 
rock,  or  crouch  by  a fire,  with  a despairing  look.  They 
would  never  ask  for  help  or  medicine,  would  hardly  re- 
ply when  asked  what  ailed  them,  and  caring  nothing 
for  themselves,  they  naturally  cared  nothing  for  others. 

“Familiarity  with  many  forms  of  disease,  violent 
and  painful  deaths,  and  severe  accidents  had  finally 
deadened,  almost  destroyed,  that  lively  fear  of  death 
formerly  shown.” 

Stanley  himself  was  almost  reduced  to  the  point 
of  despair.  Daily  seeing  objects  associated  with  mem- 
ories of  the  loved  and  lost  friend  nearly  unmanned  him. 
He  sat  for  hours  in  the  silent  light  of  the  “moon,  view- 
ing the  treacherous  river,  and  almost  imagining  that  he 
saw  his  friend  buffeting  with  the  cruel  waves,  and  him- 
self powerless  to  assist. 

He  felt  the  stony  grief  devoid  of  tears  which  is  so 
terrible  to  the  subject.  Almost  was  he  persuaded  to 
end  his  work.  “ Ah,  had  some  one  then  but  relieved 
me  of  my  cares,  and  satisfied  me  that  my  dark  followers 
would  see  their  Zanjian  homes  again,  I would  that  day 
have  gladly  ended  the  struggle,  and  crying  out,  ‘ Who 
dies  earliest  dies  best,’  have  embarked  in  my  boat  and 
dropped  calmly  over  the  cataracts  into  eternity.” 

Alas  ! alas  ! vain  was  the  hope  that  by  some  mira- 
cle Frank  had  escaped.  Eight  days  afterward  a native 
arrived  at  Zinga  with  the  statement  that  a fisherman 
in  Kilanga  basin  had  been  attracted  by  something 
gleaming  on  the  water,  and  paddling  to  it  had  been 
horrified  to  find  the  upturned  face  of  a white  man ! 
The  fisherman  would  not  touch  it,  and  the  body 
was  permitted  to  drift  away 'without  burial,  and  was 
never  seen  again. 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


271 


So  passes  from  our  narrative  Francis  John  Pocock, 
well  worthy  of  honor  among  African  travelers,  a victim 
to  the  nervous  impatience  of  a sick  man.  Let  him, 
like  De  Soto  in  the  Mississippi,  sleep  in  the  Congo, 
whose  mysteries  he  had  so  long  and  so  anxiously  aided 
his  master  to  solve.  No  fitter  grave  can  he  have,  and 
while  the  Livingstone  shall  roll,  let  the  name  of  Pocock’s 
Pool  commemorate  the  worth  of  the  tried  and  trusted 
friend  and  companion. 

For  some  days  a prodigious  amount  of  labor  was 
expended  in  collecting  the  forces  (which  now  occupied 
three  different  camps),  and  in  transporting  the  canoes 
past  the  dread  Massassa.  Meanwhile  the  difficulties  of 
the  task  were  increased  by  the  sullen  languor  and  in- 
difference of  the  men,  who  had  almost  come  to  open 
revolt.  They  said  it  were  better  to  be  slaves  for  the  heath- 
en than  to  follow  Stanley  longer,  for  the  end  would  be 
death.  The  natives  had  filled  them  with  tales  of  the 
spirits  of  the  Falls.  But  Stanley’s  unwritten  sufferings 
told  him  their  feelings,  and  he  had  no  harsh  words  for 
them.  Slowly  and  mechanically  they  set  to  work.  In 
sixteen  days  the  forces  were  once  more  collected,  this 
time  at  Zinga.  Two  miles’  distance  in  eighteen  days  ! 

A good  man  drowned ! Small  wonder  the  Wangwana 
despaired. 

, It  was  necessary  to  construct  roads  of  brush- wood 
around  the  Zinga  Falls  before  the  boats  could  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  basin  below. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  as  this  task  was  being  prose- 
cuted, the  people  stirred  about  so  lifelessly  that  Stanley 
asked  what  was  the  matter.  One  fellow,  remarkable 
for  nothing  but  his  great  size  and  strength,  turned 
sharply  round  and  said — “We’re  tired,  and  that’s  what’s  * 
the  matter !” ' 


— J 


272  DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 

This  assertion  two-thirds  of  the  people  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  confirm.  In  view  of  the  state  of  affairs,  Stan- 
ley called  the  people  together  and  invited  them  to 
rehearse  their  wrongs.  They  said  they  were  tired ; 
nothing  awaited  them  but  a repetition  each  day  of  fright- 
ful labor  on  the  land ; death  was  in  the  river,  they  had 
no  strength,  and  were  not  going  to  work  any  more. 
Stanley  told  them  he  was  as  tired  and  hungry  as  they, 
and  even  sadder  at  heart.  If  they  all  left,  he  had  no 
further  responsibility,  and  could  drop  into  the  nearest 
cataract.  While  he  lived,  whether  they  followed  or  no, 
his  duty  was  along  that  river.  They  could  take  the  re- 
maining beads,  and  go  whither  they  would.  He  then 
walked  away  and  went  to  his  tent.  Soon  one  of  the 
tent-boys  came  to  him  with  the  announcement  that 
thirty  of  the  men  had  deserted  in  a body.  As  the  dis- 
affected proved  to  be  less  than  one-third  of  the  whole, 
Kacheche  and  Manwa  Sera  were  sent  after  them,  to 
reason  with  them,  but  after  overtaking  them  five  miles 
distant,  found  them  determined  to  continue  on  their 
way.  Meanwhile  the  faithfuls  worked  on. 

The  next  day  messengers  were  sent  out  to  cut  off 
the  fugitives,  and  to  request  the  chiefs  not  to  permit 
them  to  pass. 

The  chiefs  complied,  beat  the  war  drums,  and  cre- 
ated snch  a mock  excitement  that  the  mutineers  were 
halted  and  made  to  regret  the  step  they  had  taken. 
The  next  day  Kacheche  and  Manwa  Sera  were  again 
sent  to  reason  with  the  mutineers,  who  were  by  this 
time  fifteen  miles  away.  By  a promise  of  pardon  and 
complete  absolution  for  the  offence,  all  were  induced  to 
return  to  their  duty. 

On  the  23rd  of  June,  assisted  by  a hundred  and  fifty 
natives,  Stanley’s  men  succeeded  in  drawing  three  ca- 


ANIMALS  OF  AFRICA. 


274 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


noes  up  the  steep  slope  from  the  river  to  the  rocky  level 
above.  The  fourth  canoe  was  the  new  Livingstone , 
weighing  about  three  tons.  It  was  drawn  twenty  feet 
out  of  the  water,  when  the  cables  parted,  and  it  dashed 
furiously  down  into  the  water.  The  chief  carpenter 
clung  to  it,  with  the  idea  that  he  was  able  to  check  its 
descent,  was  dragged  into  the  river,  and  being  unable  to 
swim,  climbed  into  the  boat.  Uledi  sprang  into  the 
water,  swam  alongside,  and  cried  out  to  the  man  to 
jump  and  he  would  save  him.  “Ah,  my  brother,”  re- 
plied the  unfortunate  man,  “ I can  not  swim.”  “ Jump, 
man,  before  it  is  too  late  ! You  are  drifting  toward  the 
cataract.”  “ I am  afraid.”  “ Well  then,  good-bye,  my 
brother,  nothing  can  save  you ! ” said  Uledi,  striking  out 
for  the  shore,  which  he  reached  only  fifty  feet  above  the 
cataract.  In  another  second  the  great  canoe  was  shot 
over  the  falls  and  drawn  into  a whirlpool.  For  some 
seconds  it  remained  under  water,  then  it  rose  high  and 
straight  out  of  the  depths,  the  man  still  in  it.  Again 
it  was  swallowed  up,  and  again  ejected;  still  the  man 
retained  his  hold.  For  the  third  time  it  was  immersed, 
and  when  it  again  appeared,  it  had  no  occupant.  After 
riding  high  on  the  waves  to  the  calmer  waters  of  the 
crossing  place,  in  view  of  all,  the  canoe  wheeled  around 
five  times  on  the  edge  of  a large  vortex,  and  sank  to 
rise  no  more. 

’Another  good  man  gone  ! The  people  were  gloomier 
than  ever.  They  sat  at  their  fires,  counting  the  losses. 
Doom  they  considered  certain.  The  natives  below  were 
reported  hostile.  Stores  were  scarce.  Stanley  was  at 
his  wits’  end.  What  could  be  done  ? Three  miles  in 
thirty  days ; four  men  drowned  ! 

On  the  27th  Stanley  entered  the  boat  with  six  men, 
intending  to  be  lowered  by  means  of  cables  held  by  those 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIB. 


275 


on  the  bank.  Step  by  step,  with  a prudence  and  car© 
born  of  their  previous  experience,  they  moved  along 
till  they  neared  a huge  rock  in  the  center  of  the  stream. 
A channel  ran  between  this  rock  and  the  shore,  and 
even  while  they  were  hoping  to  pass  through  this 
thread-like  stream,  the  cables  parted,  and  the  boat 
dashed  down  the  channel,  flying  by  the  rocks  with  in- 
credible rapidity.  Uledi  was  at  the  helm,  calm,  cool, 
confident.  So  often  had  the  men  beheld  scenes  of 
death  and  danger  that  now  they  sat  still,  awaiting  the 
final  outcome  with  indifference.  Certain  voices  whis- 
pered, “What  is  to  be  will  be;”  “ One  can  not  es- 
cape the  inevitable,”  and  such  like  sentiments.  Past 
the  Mbelo  falls,  whirled  around  an  eddying  pool,  pre- 
cipitated into  a boiling,  seething  cauldron,  away  down 
stream  they  darted,  finally  emerging  on  a slackened 
current  into  Nguru  basin.  Subdued  and  grateful,  they 
murmured  “ Saved  again !”  and  sought  the  sandy  beach. 

Stanley  says:  “Leaving  four  men  at  Kilanga  in 
charge  of  the  boat,  I crossed  the  little  brook  and  pro- 
ceeded to  meet  the  terror-stricken  multitude,  who  could 
scarcely  believe  their  eyes  when  they  saw  me  advancing 
towards  them.  I was  to  them  like  one  risen  from  the 
dead.  ‘Yes,  we  shall  reach  the  sea,  please  God/ said 
they.  4 We  see  the  hand  of  God  now.  But  you  must 
not  tempt  the  wicked  river  anymore,  master.  We  shall 
do  it  ourselves.  Better  far  that  we  die  than  you.  You 
shall  not  go  to  the  river  again  until  we  are  beyond  the 
falls.’  Poor  dear  souls,  they  made  me  forgive  them  all. 
How  bitter  had  my  thoughts  been  lately ; but  this  gen- 
uine expression  of  love  and  devotion  healed  the  sick- 
ened soul,  and  infused  new  vigor  into  it,  until  I felt 
again  that  old  belief  that  success  would  finally  reward 


276 


DEATH  AND  DESPAIR. 


It  was  a providential  occurrence ; almost  the  only 
thing  that  could  have  reanimated  these  negro  fatalists. 
Whatever  their  losses,  their  master’s  star  was  a lucky 
one.  Their  fortunes  were  best  cast  in  with  his.  Thus, 
when  a great  gloom  had  seemingly  totally  crushed  them, 
a great  deliverance  revived  them.  They  saw  Provi- 
dence in  it.  A little  of  the  old  courage  returned. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


'HE  situation  was  now  a very  grave  one.  The 
party  was  soon  concentrated  at  Kilanga,  but 
the  stores  were  very  low ; so  low  Stanley  saw 
that  only  rapid  marching  could  preserve  them  from 
famine.  Already  disease  and  short  rations  had  reduced 
all  to  gaunt,  bony  frames.  Two  died  of  want  and  dis- 
ease on  the  7th  of  July,  at  Mpakambendi,  and  two  who 
who  were  seized  for  stealing  from  the  natives  were  ran- 
somed at  a cost  that  left  the  expedition  almost  bankrupt. 
Famine  already  stared  them  in  the  face. 

At  Mpakambendi,  the  great  irregular  canyon  ended. 
The  river  widened.  Cataracts  and  rapids  still  occurred, 
but  the  trap,  gneiss,  and  granite  were  replaced  by  shales, 
easily  worn  away  by  the  stream,  which  in  consequence 
was  not  dangerous. 

The  distance  from  Ntamo,  just  below  Stanley  Pool, 
to  Mpakambendi,  was  only  ninety-five  geographical 
miles,  and  this  distance  had  occupied  one  hundred  and 
thirty- one  days ! 

The  natives  about  here  were  decidedly  cool  in  their 
treatment  of  the  travelers  on  account  of  the  representations 
of  certain  native  traders  from  the  coast.  Stanley  quickly 
exposed  the  absurd  protectionists  by  adroit  questioning, 
and  harmony  prevailed  once  more. 

(277) 


278 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


Six  miles  progress  was  made  by  the  13th  of  July, 
when  they  reached  the  country  of  the  Kakongo,  reported 
to  be  very  hostile.  While  still  in  fear  and  much  per. 
plexity,  the  natives  came  across  the  river  in  great  num- 
bers, and  soon  became  very  friendly,  five  volunteering 
to  guide  the  company  as  far  as  the  next  fall,  which  was 
said  to  be  the  last.  After  obtaining  a supply  of  pro- 
visions, all  hands  embarked  on  the  16th,  and  raced 
down  the  river  in  grand  style  to  the  great  cataract. 
This  was  quite  dangerous  on  the  right  side ; fifteen  feet 
high  or  more.  On  the  left  it  was  merely  a swift 
stream  with  a steep  slope,  succeeded  by  many  leaping 
waves.  A large  concourse  of  natives  were  present,  and 
behaved  very  amiably.  After  the  camp  was  made, 
three  chiefs  advanced  and  proffered  their  assistance, 
and  were  at  once  engaged,  Next  morning  four  hun- 
dred and  nine  natives  conveyed  the  canoes  and  boat 
around  the  fall  in  admirable  style,  though  one  canoe 
was  wrecked.  They  were  liberally  paid  and  the  utmost 
good  feeling  prevailed.  Stanley  regarded  these  natives 
as  the  politest  people  in  Africa. 

Resuming  the  journey,  a tribe  of  natives  was 
passed,  who,  though  sullen,  made  no  resistance  to  the 
advance.  A daring  rush  down  the  rapids  of 
Ungufu-inchi  was  made  without  accident,  when  an  ad- 
vance of  six  miles  ended  in  a halt  near  the  village  of 
Kibonda.  The  natives  here  were  a surly,  ill-disposed 
race,  who  demanded  the  most  extortionate  prices  for 
food.  One  of  the  Wangwana,  unable  to  obtain  food, 
coolly  went  to  a garden  and  began  to  help  himself.  The 
natives  closed  round  him,  bound  him  hand  and  foot,  and 
carried  him  off.  They  demanded  four  times  the  worth 
of  all  the  goods  of  the  expedition  for  his  release,  and 
being  unable  to  lessen  their  price,  Stanley  was  com- 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


279 


pelled  to  abandon  his  man  to  slavery.  Still  this  did 
not  deter  another  man  a few  days  later  from  stealing 
some  fowls.  This  case  was  submitted  to  the  chiefs  of  the 
expedition,  who  gravely  condemned  the  thief  to  captivity. 
On  the  25th  some  natives  were  met  who  informed  Stanley 
that  he  was  about  five  days’  journey  by  water  from  what 
they  called  “Isangila.”  Stanley  believed  this  to  be  iden- 
tical with  the  “ Sanga  Yellala  ” of  Tuckey,  or  “ Sangalla” 
of  others,  and  told  his  people  they  were  near  the  sea. 
All  were  intensely  affected.  One  man,  Safeni,  the  cock- 
swain in  the  perilous  voyage  around  the  Victoria,  was 
intoxicated  with  joy,  and  became  frantic  in  his  behavior. 
He  cried  out  that  he  was  about  to  run  all  the  way  to  the 
sea,  to  tell  the  white  men  Stanley  was  coming ; and  seiz- 
ing his  pet  parrot,  he  plunged  into  the  woods.  It  then 
occurred  to  Stanley  that  the  man  was  deranged,  and 
three  men  were  sent  to  bring  him  back.  Four  hours  there- 
after they  returned,  their  errand  having  been  fruitless. 
He  might  have  been  recovered  in  three  or  four  days,  but 
death  by  starvation  threatened  all,  and  they  were  com- 
pelled to  hasten  forward.  They  never  saw  Safeni  more. 

Had  there  been  more  energy  among  the  people, 
many  more  would  now  have  been  on  the  verge  of  frenzy. 
But  there  was  little  more  life  in  the  emaciated  bodies 
than  could  keep  soul  and  body  together.  Hollow-eyed, 
weak,  sallow,  miserable,  on  they  groped — the  sea ! the 
sea  ! their  one  ruling  thought.  Xenophon’s  Greeks  were 
never  more  eager  for  the  ocean  than  were  Stanley  and 
his  starving  Arabs. 

The  28th  of  July,  after  a considerable  stretch  of 
calm  water,  they  landed  at  Kilolo.  The  hungry  people 
scattered  with  their  trinkets  to  purchase  provisions. 
Food ! food  they  must  have.  Stanley  remained  among 
the  natives  on  the  bank. 


280 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


Shots  were  heard  in  the  uplands.  Soon  the  people 
return ; some  with  gunshot  wounds ; Uledi,  bold  fellow, 
faithful  to  the  uttermost,  bearing  a feeble  comrade  on 
his  back.  What  is  all  this?  Stealing  again?  “We 
could  not  help  it,  master,  we  are  dying  of  hunger.  We 
left  our  beads  and  moneys — all  we  had — on  the  ground, 
and  began  to  eat  and  they  began  shooting.” 

Poor  starving  men ! better  to  be  shot  than  perish 
by  the  slower  torture  of  famine.  Three  had  been  cap- 
tured, and  the  savages  were  about  to  attack  and  destroy 
the  force ; but  the  persistent  entreaties  of  some  friendly 
natives  from  the  other  shore  pacified  them.  Sad  and  dis- 
heartened, the  expedition  moved  on,  and  left  their  three 
companions  in  slavery.  They  might  have  attacked  the 
villagers  and  released  them,  but  that  would  have  been 
contrary  to  their  principles.  But  what  one  of  our 
readers  would  have  blamed  the  hungry  men  ? It  is 
some  satisfaction  to  know  that  one  of  them  eventually 
escaped,  and  after  a variety  of  adventures,  by  the  kind- 
ness of  white  traders  and  naval  captains  reached  his 
Zanjian  home. 

The  fact  is,  the  natives  degenerate  rapidly  toward 
the  west  coast.  The  people  from  this  point  on  were  de- 
cidedly inferior  to  the  Babwende  above.  They  cared 
nothing  for  the  privations  of  the  weary  band,  and  seldom 
were  willing  to  barter  anything. 

On  the  30th  of  July  the  journey  by  water  came  to 
an  end.  The  Isangila  Fall  was  reached.  The  river 
dashes  through  a chasm  five  hundred  yards  wide,  di- 
vided by  seven  rocky  islets.  On  the  right  is  a drop  of 
ten  feet,  and  a second  of  eight ; on  the  left  the  river  re- 
bounds from  a cliff,  and  storms  down  a mile  and  a half 
in  a succession  of  tempestuous  billows.  On  the  left  rose 
a mountain  ridge,  nine  hundred  feet  high ; on  the  right, 


AFRICAN  MARKET. 


282 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED, 


a broad  terrace,  sloping  upward,  rose  steeply  into  a 
tableland  twelve  hundred  feet  in  height. 

Stanley’s  task  was  accomplished.  There  could  be 
no  reasonable  doubt  of  the  identity  of  this  with  the 
Sanga  Yellala  of  Tuckey.  The  map  of  the  Congo’s  route 
was  completed.  Stanley  therefore  determined  to  lose 
no  more  time  on  the  river,  but  to  strike  overland  to  Em- 
bomma,  five  marches  distant,  where  he  was  told  he 
would  find  white  men.  He  abandoned  the  boat  that 
had  done  such  good  service  for  three  years,  leaving  it 
high  on  the  rocks  above  Isangila.  He  gave  his  fol- 
lowers every  article  that  could  be  dispensed  with,  and 
prepared  for  a march  overland.  Efforts  at  barter  were 
almost  useless.  Such  food  as  was  procured  was  high  in 
price,  and  poor  in  quality. 

In  a starving  condition  they  staggered  on  till  a 
consequential,  self-important  chief  hurried  up  and 
halted  the  caravan.  He  wanted  tribute  for  passage 
through  his  territory.  To  Stanley’s  inquiry  as  to  what 
he  wanted,  he  demanded  “ a big  bottle  of  rum,”  and 
refused  to  take  anything  else.  During  the  dialogue, 
Uledi  came  up  and  asked,  “What  does  this  old  man 
want,  master? ” 

“He  wants  rum,  Uledi.  Think  of  it ! ” 

“ There’s  rum  for  him,”  said  Uledi  irreverently, 
slapping  his  majesty  in  the  face.  As  the  stool  on  which 
he  sat  was  not  very  firm,  the  old  chief  fell  over  pros- 
trate. He  rose  up,  and  with  his  people  hurried  off  to 
his  village,  where  a great  excitement  was  raised,  but 
Stanley  and  his  men  did  not  stay  to  see  the  end  of  it. 

When  the  villages  of  Ndambi  Mbongo  were 
reached,  an  attempt  was  made  to  barter  for  food,  but 
the  unfeeling  chiefs  would  trade  for  nothing  but  “rum.” 
Growing  weaker  and  yet  weaker,  they  toiled  pair* 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


283 


thlly  on,  the  young  assisting  the  old,  the  husbands 
carrying  their  children  and  tenderly  leading  their  wives, 
till  all  made  their  entrance  to  the  village  of  Nsanda. 
Here  Stanley  learned  that  it  was  only  about  three  days’ 
journey,  for  a strong  man,  to  Embomma.  The  chief  of 
Nsanda  w7as  persuaded  to  send  two  natives  with  three 
of  Stanley’s  men  to  carry  a letter  to  Embomma.  Stan- 
ley wrote  in  English,  French,  and  Spanish,  describing 
their  destitute  condition,  and  imploring  assistance.  He 
then  called  for  volunteers  to  take  the  letters.  Uledi 
offered  himself  with  his  usual  alacrity,  and  was  zeal- 
ously seconded  by  Kacheche  and  two  others.  Through 
delay  in  obtaining  guides,  they  could  not  depart  till 
noon  of  the  next  day,  August  4th.  Then  they  moved  off 
rapidly.  But  when  half  way  to  Embomma,  the  guides 
became  frightened  and  deserted  them.  They  in  whom 
were  the  hopes  of  the  expedition  were  alone  in  an  un- 
known region. 

Meantime  Stanley  had  distributed  a large  quantity 
of  cloth  and  beads,  and  sent  the  strongest  out  to  forage. 
But  little  food  was  obtained.  Again  the  people 
wearily  dragged  themselves  forward  a short  distance, 
that  they  might  be  a little  nearer  the  wished-for  relief. 
On  their  march,  a “ powerful  man,”  followed  by  a large 
crowd,  came  up  and  demanded  payment  for  passage 
through  his  country.  Stanley  refused,  and  the  “power- 
ful man”  became  outrageous  and  called  for  his  gun. 
He  was  warned  that  he  had  better  not  shoot,  as  he  was 
dealing  with  a desperate  set  of  men  who  might  eat 
every  soul  in  his  country  if  once  aroused.  The  “power- 
ful man  ” then  cooled  down,  and  made  friends. 

On  staggered  the  fast  weakening  people.  The 
path  was  hard,  and  in  places  strewn  with  quartz. 
Many  did  not  believe  the  sea  was  near ; and  coldly  said 


284 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


the  master  was  right  to  encourage  his  people.  The  end 
was  not  far;  hope  going,  strength  going,  day  by  day. 

By  morning  of  August  6th,  Banza  Mbuko  was 
reached.  The  natives  were  prosperous  and  heartless. 
No  pity  was  shown  in  their  dusky  faces.  There  would 
be  a market  in  two  or  three  days ; the  travelers  could 
wait  till  then.  Besides,  they  possessed  little  worth  trad- 
ing for. 

Wait ! In  two  or  three  days  ! How  many  would 
then  be  beyond  all  help  ? No  hope  now  but  in  Uledi 
and  his  comrades.  How  had  they  fared  ? How  would 
they  be  received  at  Embomma  ? 

“Not  one  word  of  reproach  issued  from  the  starving 
people;  they  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground  with 
an  indifference  begotten  of  despair  and  misery.  They 
did  not  fret,  nor  bewail  aloud  the  tortures  of  famine, 
nor  vent  the  anguish  of  their  pinched  bowels  in  cries, 
but  with  stony  resignation  surrendered  themselves  to 
rest  under  the  scanty  shade  of  some  dwarf  acacia  or 
sparse  bush.  Now  and  then  I caught  the  wail  of  an 
infant,  and  the  thin  voice  of  a starving  mother,  or  the 
petulant  remonstrance  of  an  older  child ; but  the  adults 
remained  still  and  apparently  lifeless,  each  contracted 
within  the  exclusiveness  of  individual  suffering.  The 
youths,  companions  of  Uledi,  and  the  chiefs  sat  in 
whispering  groups,  removed  from  the  sick  and  grieving, 
and  darkly  dotted  the  vicinity  of  the  tent ; the  childless 
women  were  also  seen  by  twos  and  threes  far  apart,  dis- 
cussing, no  doubt,  our  prospects,  for  at  this  period  this 
was  the  most  absorbing  topic  of  the  camp. 

‘Suddenly  the  shrill  voice  of  a little  boy  was 
heard,  saying,  ‘ Oh ! I see  Uledi  and  Kacheche  coming 
down  the  hill,  and  there  are  plenty  of  men  following 
them.’ 


TEMPORARY  CAMP . 


286 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


“ ‘ What ! — what ! — what ! 5 — broke  out  eagerly  from 
several  voices,  and  dark  forms  were  seen  springing  up 
from  amongst  the  bleached  grass,  and  from  under  the 
shade,  and , many  eyes  were  directed  at  the  whitened 
hill  slope. 

“‘Yes;  it  is  true!  it  is  true!  La  il  Allah,  il 
Allah ! Yes ; el  hamd  ul  Illah ! Yes,  it  is  food ! food ! 
food  at  last ! Ah,  that  Uledi ! he  is  a lion,  truly.  We 
are  saved,  thank  God ! ’ ” 

Imagine  their  feelings,  you  who  can. 

After  being  deserted  by  the  guides,  Uledi  and  his 
friends  had  followed  a road  for  some  distance,  and  the 
next  day  they  followed  the  Congo,  a wearisome,  hill- 
climbing journey.  They  reached  Embomma  or  Boma 
at  dark,  and  were  given  prompt  assistance  by  the  resi- 
dent agents  of  Hatton  & Cookson,  a Liverpool  firm. 
They  had  fasted  absolutely  for  thirty  hours.  The  next 
morning  they  found  a band  of  carriers  with  provisions, 
ready  to  be  guided  to  Stanley. 

The  great  peril  was  over.  While  the  provisions 
were  being  distributed,  Murabo,  the  boat-boy,  struck 
up  an  exultant  extemporaneous  chant  of  the  great 
cataracts,  the  cannibals,  the  famine,  great  lakes  and 
vast  regions,  and  niggard  natives,  and  closed  by  sing- 
ing that  the  journey  was  ended;  that  his  master’s 
brothers  had  redeemed  them  from  the  “ hell  of  hunger,” 
and  as  each  verse  ended  rang  out  the  chorus,  “Then 
sing,  0 friends,  sing ! the  journey  is  ended.  Sing  aloud, 
0 friends ! sing  to  this  great  sea.” 

It  is  not  necessary  to  detail  further  the  incidents  of 
the  journey.  The  reader  may  imagine  the  eagerness 
with  which  the  famished  people  cooked  their  food ; and 
how  many  of  them  ravenously  devoured  rice  and  fish 
raw ; how  Stanley  was  delighted  with  the  sundries  sent 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


287 


for  himself — the  bread,  wines,  jams,  pudding,  salmon, 
sardines,  butter,  to  which  he  had  so  long  been  a 
stranger.  Nor  can  we  dwell  upon  the  kindness  of  Stan- 
ley’s reception  by  the  Europeans  at  Boma  on  the  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-ninth  day  after  leaving  Zanzibar ; 
his  strange  feelings  at  seeing  white  faces  once  more, 
and  involuntarily  wondering  at  their  paleness  (they 
were  much  sunburned).  With  strangely  mingled  emo- 
tions he  steamed  down  the  stream,  and  on  the  12th  of 
August  once  more  entered  the  restless  ocean.  The 
journey  was  over.  The  treacherous  river  was  a thing  of 
the  past ; yet  not  an  idle  memory,  but  a terrible  reality. 
Honors  might  be  in  store  for  him,  but  the  mighty  flood 
should  not  surrender  the  loved  and  lost  friend  and  the 
faithful  followers  till  the  day  when  there  should  be  no 
more  sea.  Gladness  and  gratitude  were  tinged  with 
sadness. 

So  ends  a journey  which  has  had  few  parallels  in  the 
history  of  civilization.  Arctic  explorers  have  encoun- 
tered as  terrible  hardships,  but  of  a different  class.  We 
might  compare  the  perilous  errand  of  Stanley  to 
the  wonderful  icefloe  drift  of  one  thousand  five  hundred 
miles  by  Tyson  and  his  party  in  the  Polar  Seas ; or 
to  the  ill-fated  expedition  of  Franklin ; but  neither  can 
serve  to  illustrate  the  other.  And  we  detract  nothing 
from  the  laurels  of  Arctic  explorers  when  we  say  that, 
with  respect  to  importance  of  results,  Stanley’s  explora- 
tions have  achieved  more  for  the  benefit  of  the  world 
than  have  all  the  Arctic  voyagers  from  Lief  Ericsson  to 
the  present.  This  fact  is  apparent  from  the  very  na- 
ture of  the  two  regions. 

But  little  remains  to  be  said.  Stanley  had  this 
time  no  reason  to  complain  of  the  want  of  fairness  or 
kindness  in  any  one.  At  Loanda  and  Cape  Town,  Stan* 


288 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


ley  and  his  men  were  the  lions  of  the  day.  Every  hos- 
pitality was  offered  them.  Vessels  for  transporta- 
tion were  tendered  them.  Europeans  of  all  nationali- 
ties vied  with  each  other  in  kindness  and  generosity. 
Yet  in  vain  was  the  succor,  for  some.  One  of  the 
Wangwana  died  at  the  mouth  of  the  Congo.  All  were 
subject  to  the  terrible  reaction  that  comes  after  long 
mental  and  physical  strain.  Stanley,  with  all  the  duties 
that  devolved  upon  him,  the  stimulus  of  friends  and 
civilized  surroundings,  yet  found  himself,  at  times, 
sinking  into  lethargic  sleep,  even  while  eating.  The 
Wangwana  had  no  counter-irritant.  Thought  of  home 
failed  to  arouse  them. 

“Do  you  wish  to  see  Zanzibar,  boys?” 

“Ah  ! it  is  far.  Nay,  speak  not,  master.  We  shall 
never  see  it.” 

“ But  you  will  die  if  you  go  on  in  this  way.  Wake 
up ; shake  yourselves ; show  yourselves  to  be  men.” 

“Can  a man  contend  with  God?  Who  fears  death? 
Let  us  die  undisturbed,  and  be  at  rest  forever.” 

Poor  fellows ! Four  more  died  of  this  malady  at 
Loanda,  despite  the  kindly  attentions  of  the  physicians, 
and  three  others  on  the  way  to  Zanzibar.  The  wife  of  the 
sage  Safeni,  who  went  crazy  for  joy  when  told  the  sea 
was  near,  died  the  day  after  reaching  home.  And  in 
their  apathy,  or  with  their  last  breath,  they  often  mur- 
mured: “We  have  brought  our  master  to  the  great 

sea,  and  he  has  seen  his  white  brothers.'  There  is  no 
God  but  God ! ” 

At  Cape  Town  they  revived  somewhat  with  the  nov- 
elty of  the  surroundings,  and  at  the  sight  of  the  strange 
“fire-carriages”  upon  which  they  were  given  a rids. 
Various  entertainments  were  furnished  for  them.  Yet 
sadness  still  showed  in  their  faces.  Stanley,  learning 


289 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 

the  poor,  affectionate  creatures  feared  he  would  return  to 
Europe  at  once,  and  send  them  on  to  Zanzibar  alone, 
renewed  his  oft-repeated  promise  to  see  them  home, 
even  if  he  had  to  walk  all  the  way.  “ Now  we  are  grate- 
ful, master,”  they  said.  There  were  no  more  sad  faces 
among  them- 

No  easy  task  would  it  be  to  portray  their  joy  at 
once  more  beholding  their  beloved  island.  When  on  the 
26th  of  November  they  landed,  they  danced,  they 
leaped,  they  knelt,  they  kissed  the  sands,  they  wept, 
they  sprang  into  their  friends’  arms,  and  shouted.  The 
town  was  in  a pleasant  uproar  over  the  wanderers.  A 
few  days  were  spent  in  paying  off  the  survivors  and  the 
relatives  of  the  dead ; then  Stanley  was  ready  to  depart. 
The  Wangwana,  having  profited  much  by  their  painful 
experience,  were  disposed  to  settle  down. 

On  the  13th  of  December,  as  Stanley  was  ready  to 
leave  the  members  of  the  expedition  called  to  shake 
hands  over  and  over  again  with  him.  As  he  rowed  to 
the  ship,  they  consulted  a moment,  rushed  to  a great 
lighter,  manned  it,  followed  him,  sent  a deputation  on 
board  headed  by  Uledi,  Kacheche,  Robert,  Zaidi,  and 
Wadi  Rehani,to  say  that  they  would  not  leave  Zanzibar 
till  they  received  a letter  from  him  that  he  had  arrived 
safe  in  his  own  land ; and  if  he  wanted  help  to  reach  his 
land  they  would  help  him  ! 

Brave,  simple  souls  ! The  world  may  scoff  at  them 
as  negroes  and  Mohammedans,  but  they  nevertheless 
showed  continually  grand  traits  of  character.  Faults 
were  numerous:  but  they  had  true  fidelity,  gratitude 
and  heroism,  notwithstanding.  Ignorant  and  almost 
unreasoning,  they  had  followed  to  the  death,  and  had 
played  a noble  part  in  the  unveiling  of  the  vast  myste- 
ries of  Central  Africa.  The  simple  story  of  the  deeds  of 


290 


THE  STARVING  RESCUED. 


the  African  on  his  native  soil  is  the  best  eulogy  that  can 
be  given,  and  shows  what  may  be  expected  of  him  with 
proper  management.  Administrative  ability  is  not 
often  a prominent  trait  with  him ; but  even  in  this  there 
are  notable  exceptions,  as  the  force  of  the  famous  detec- 
tive, Sarmian,  has  shown.  He  it  was  who  went  with 
a single  companion,  half  across  the  continent  to  obtain 
medicine  for  Shaw,  and  seized  some  of  Stanley's  desert- 
ers on  the  way.  It  was  he  who  detected  thieves  and 
murderers,  within  or  without  the  camp ; and  who,  as 
Menenius  did  the  Roman  plebs,  persuaded  the  murmur- 
ing people  to  return  to  their  duty.  It  is  he  who  has, 
through  all  this  latter  journey,  figured  simply  as 
“Kacheche,”  “the  weasel,”  because  of  his  keenness. 
Such  sagacity  and  courage  as  shown  by  him,  or  by  Hledi 
and  Manwa  Sera,  should  forever  vindicate  the  Afr  can 
from  the  charge  of  irredeemable  stupidity. 


■ 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


^"VTANLEY’S  explorations  gave  a new  impulse  to  the 
advance  of  civilization  in  that  hitherto  benighted 
region  of  Africa.  His  earlier  letters  from  the 
Victoria  Nyanza  had  stirred  the  interest  of  the  religious 
world,  and  emissaries  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
had  followed  in  his  track  and  established  stations  in 
Uganda  and  the  neighboring  regions.  The  announcement 
of  his  discoveries  along  the  lower  Congo  were  of  no  little 
interest  to  the  European  world.  As  we  have  already 
seen,  for  centuries  no  traveler  or  trader  had  endeavored 
to  pass  the  lower  cataracts  of  the  Congo;  deterred 
partly  by  the  difficulties  of  the  passage,  partly  by  the 
reports  of  ferocious  cannibals  in  the  interior,  and  partly 
by  that  mysterious,  uncanny  fear  of  the  unknown  which 
sometimes  pervades  the  most  intelligent  of  people, 
however  little  they  may  be  disposed  to  superstition  in 
general.  But  with  the  announcement  of  Stanley’s  work 
a zeal  for  development  occupied  many  European  minds. 
Leopold,  the  king  of  the  Belgians,  headed  an  inter- 
national association  for  the  developing  of  the  resources 
of  the  newly  opened  country,  and  to  Stanley,  as  the 
most  capable  man  for  the  pushing  of  the  enterprise, 
was  entrusted  the  direction  and  the  supervision  of  the 
work  in  Africa. 

This  is  the  organization  of  the  Association;  the 

(291) 


292 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


great  European  powers,  together  with  the  United  States, 
entered  into  a solemn  convention  recognizing  the  right 
of  the  Congo  Free  State  to  self-government,  and  engag- 
ing to  protect  the  Congo  basin  from  the  curse  of  the 
rum  traffic.  To  Stanley  was  committed  the  task  of 
treating  with  the  native  chiefs  and  obtaining  their 
recognition  of  and  obedience  to  the  general  authority.  Of 
course,  by  such  an  arrangement  each  tribe  surrendered 
a few  of  its  long  held  prerogatives  of  independence ; 
but  they  could  not  fail  to  receive  in  return  much 
greater  privileges  than  they  surrendered.  They  are  suf- 
ficiently intelligent  to  thoroughly  appreciate  the  advan- 
tages that  would  accrue  from  liberal  traffic  and  inter- 
course with  civilized  nations.  Such,  in  brief,  has  been 
the  plan  and  the  organization  of  the  Congo  Free  State, 
which  has  aroused  so  much  of  interest  in  the  probable 
future  of  the  sons  of  Ham  throughout  the  civilized  world. 
A nation  has  been  born  in  a day ; kings  are  its  nursing 
fathers;  queens  its  nursing  mothers ; while  the  expectant 
world  is  saying,  “ What  manner  of  child  shall  this  be  ? ” 
The  lusty  lout  has  a rich  inheritance : a country  un- 
surpassed in  fertility  by  any  on  the  globe ; a land  the 
half  of  whose  resources  are  not  yet  known ; for  a water 
way,  the  second  mightiest  river  of  the  world.  W7hen 
this  youth  shall  have  attained  his  majority  what  may 
not  be  expected  of  him  ? 

Now  that  we  have  followed  Stanley  through  his 
perilous  journey  on  the  Congo,  let  us  note  ere  proceed- 
ing further,  the  facts  developed  concerning  that  river. 
It  has  a basin  of  1,508,000  square  miles,  a region  as 
large  as  one-half  of  the  -United  States,  Topographi- 
cally considered  this  region  is  a vast  table-land,  rang- 
ing in  height  from  one  thousand  to  five  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea  level.  It  is  traversed  by  numerous  livers 


AFRICAN  MARSH-BIRDS. 


294 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


and  dotted  with  great  lakes.  Its  forests  and  rolling 
prairies  are  surpassed  by  none  on  the  globe.  Later  ex- 
plorations have  shown  that  several  of  the  Congo  tribu- 
taries are  of  vast  size  and  are  navigable  for  a long 
distance. 

The  Congo  itself  we  have  seen  is  identical  with  the 
Chambezi,  Luapula,  and  Lualaba,  of  Jjivingstone.  The 
Chambezi  rises  in  the  Chibale  hills,  far  to  the  south  of 
Lake  Tanganyika.  Livingstone  believed  this  stream  to 
be  the  head  waters  of  the  Nile,  and  traced  it  to  the  great 
Lake  Bangweolo,  three  hundred  and  sixty  miles  from  its 
source.  This  lake  is  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  long. 
The  river  emerges  from  its  western  extremity  under  the 
name  of  the  Luapula,  and  flows  northward  for  two 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  to  Lake  Mweru  or  Moero, 
which  has  a length  of  sixty-seven  miles.  Continuing 
northward  the  stream  is  then  known  as  the  Lualaba,  and 
at  some  distance  above  Moero  expands  so  broadly  as 
to  resemble  a long,  narrow  lake  rather  than  a river. 
Four  hundred  and  forty  miles  north-northwest  of  Lake 
Moero  is  situated  the  Arab  trading  station  of  Nyangwe, 
the  farthest  point  reached  by  Livingstone  in  his  explora- 
tions. Here  Stanley  took  up  his  work  and  traced  the 
river  to  the  sea.  From  Nyangwe  to  the  lower  cataract 
of  the  Stanley  Falls  is  a distance  of  three  hundred  and 
eighty-five  miles;  from  the  Stanley  Falls  to  Leopold- 
ville, on  the  Stanley  Pool,  is  a distance  of  ten  hundred 
and  sixty-eight  miles.  From  the  latter  point  to  Man- 
yanga  is  a distance  of  eighty-five  miles,  which  covers  the 
upper  series  of  the  Livingstone  Falls.  Below  Manyanga 
is  a tolerably  navigable  stretch  of  eighty-eight  miles, 
succeeded  by  the  lower  series  of  the  Livingstone  Falls, 
which  occupy  fifty  miles  of  the  river’s  length.  From  this 
point,  Vivi.  to  the  sea,  is  a navigable  stream  one 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


295 


hundred  and  ten  miles  in  length,  giving  a total  length 
of  three  thousand  and  thirty-four  miles.  At  its  mouth 
the  stream  is  seven  and  one-half  miles  wide,  and  at  a 
distance  of  three  miles  from  the  mouth  it  is  nine  hundred 
feet  deep.  Thirty-five  miles  from  the  sea  a ship  like 
the  Great  Eastern  might  moor  directly  to  the  shore. 
Seventy  miles  from  the  sea,  at  Boma,  the  river  is  four 
and  one-half  miles  wide,  and  a little  above,  where  com- 
pressed between  the  hills,  it  is  from  one  hundred  and 
fifty  to  three  hundred  feet  deep,  with  a swift  current. 
Where  it  enters  Stanley  Pool  the  river  has  a volume  at 
low  water  of  one  million  four  hundred  and  forty  thousand 
cubic  feet  per  second.  Twelve  hundred  and  sixty-six 
miles  from  the  sea  it  is  two  and  one-half  miles  wide. 
The  average  width  of  the  stream  is  estimated  to  be  eight 
or  ten  times  that  of  the  Mississippi.  This  is  in  part, 
however,  due  to  the  fact  that  in  its  upper  portion  it 
seldom  proceeds  in  a single  undivided  stream,  but  is  a 
broad,  lacustrine  river  filled  with  many  islands,  so  that 
the  right  bank  is  often  many  miles  from  the  left. 
Within  the  past  year  one  of  its  largest  tributaries  has 
been  discovered  entering  the  river  from  its  northern  side 
at  so  slight  an  angle  that  its  real  character  was  un- 
suspected even  by  the  many  travelers  who  have  recently 
passed  it.  It  had  been  supposed  to  be  merely  one  of 
the  larger  bayous  into  which  the  islands  divide  the  main 
stream ; and  not  till  the  traveler  had  proceeded  up  it  a 
considerable  distance  did  he  realize  that  he  had  dis- 
covered a new  river.  In  conclusion,  the  Congo  is  as 
large  as  the  Nile,  Niger  and  Zambesi.  It  is  one  and 
one-half  times  larger  than  the  Mississippi.  It  is  second 
only  to  the  Amazon.  Above  Stanley  Pool  it  is  name- 
less, the  natives  calling  it  simply  The  Biver,  as  if  there 
were  no  other.  Below  Stanley  Pool  it  is  the  Moenzi 


2VO 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


Nzaddi,  the  Eeceiver  of  all  Rivers.  It  is  the  African 
Father  of  Waters. 

That  the  reader  may  better  grasp  the  general  situa- 
tion and  comprehend  the  results  of  the  past  twelve 
years’  explorations,  let  the  following  facts  be  briefly 
noted.  Since  Stanley  ascended  the  Congo,  Pinto  and 
Wissman  have  crossed  Africa.  Others  have  traversed 
extensive  regions  and  lifted  the  veil  that  covered  them. 
The  videttes  of  the  army  have  penetrated  the  remotest 
places,  and  the  world  with  interest  awaits  their  report. 
The  “Unexplored  Region”  which  was  blank  on  the 
maps,  is  now  marked  with  lakes  and  rivers  and  villages. 
Africa  is  no  longer  the  Dark  Continent,  but  rather  like 
a day  mentioned  by  the  Hebrew  prophet;  “ neither  clear 
nor  dark.”  Conceding  the  rights  of  the  International 
Association  of  the  Congo  in  the  heart  of  the  continent, 
the  nations  of  Europe  are  hasting  to  possess  the  remain- 
ing regions.  Wissman  is  founding  a German  State  in 
East  Africa,  while  on  the  West  Coast  the  same  power 
has  annexed  the  Cameroons,  and  the  Southwest  Coast 
from  Cape  Frio  to  the  British  Colonies.  De  Brazza  is 
founding  an  empire  for  France  on  the  Lower  Congo. 
Britain  bestrides  the  continent  like  a Colossus,  with  one 
foot  on  Egypt  and  one  on  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
South  Africa  has  long  been  her  undisputed  possession, 
and  lately  she  has  entered  Egypt,  doubtless  to  remain. 
More  recently  she  has  annexed  the  Delta  of  the  Niger. 
Abyssinia  and  the  Soudan  are  not  unmindful  of  her 
presence  and  her  power.  Italy  has  found  a footing  on 
the  Red  Sea.  France  has  long  occupied  Algeria  and  the 
region  of  the  Gaboon.  Portugal  claims  a territory  equal 
in  extent  to  twelve  such  states  as  Illinois,  while  the 
Congo  Free  State  engages,  as  we  have  seen,  the  atten- 
tion, the  hopes,  the  interests  of  all. 


— 

RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES.  297 

The  missionary  has  been  the  pioneer  of  civilization 
for  the  last  century.  Farther  India,  the  heart  of  China, 
the  islands  of  the  sea,  the  torrid  and  frigid  zones,  stand 
as  indisputable  proofs  of  this  assertion. 

In  the  case  of  Africa  in  particular  this  truth  is 
vividly  marked.  Far  in  the  heart  of  the  Dark  Continent, 
at  Chitambo’s  village  on  the  southern  shore  of  Lake 
Bangweolo,  in  1873,  David  Livingstone  died  upon  his 
knees.  His  last  breath  may  been  a prayer  for  Africa— 
perhaps  for  one  to  follow  and  finish  his  work,  which  he 
now  saw  to  be  ended-.  We  have  seen  how  his  earlier 
years  were  spent ; we  have  seen  how  patiently  and  lov- 
ingly the  brave  man  toiled  on  heedless  of  worldly  fame. 
We  have  seen  the  results  of  his  example  upon  the  god- 
less Stanley,  and  though  he  lived  not  to  see  it,  his  dying 
prayers  had  a thousand  answers.  Everywhere  the 
missionary  is  pressing  forward ; American  Baptists  have 
ascended  the  Congo  to  the  cataracts ; English  Baptists 
are  laboring  at  Stanley  Pool;  the  London  and  the 
Church  Missionary  Societies  have  their  representatives 
throughout  the  lake  region  of  Central  Africa.  The  Scot- 
tish Free  Kirk  is  at  work  around  Lake  Nyassa.  Congo 
Mission  has  laborers  at  Leopoldville,  at  Banza  Man- 
teka  below,  and  Bolobo  above.  The  Methodists,  never 
slow  as  pioneers  of  the  gospel,  are  represented  by  the  won- 
derful Bishop  Taylor.  This  venerable  man,  a laborer 
once  in  India,  and  then  in  South  America,  enters  Africa 
as  the  captain  of  more  than  a hundred  followers,  men, 
women  and  children.  They  have  occupied,  from  Vivi 
to  Stanley  Pool,  and  have  also  effected  a descent  on 
the  region  eastward  from  Angola.  They  ask  no  con- 
tributions from  the  Church  at  home.  They  rely  on  Him 
who  feeds  the  ravens  and  the  sparrows.  Their  mission 
is  self-sustaining,  but  not  the  mission  of  fanatics,  unless 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


it  be  fanatical  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  heathen. 
They  go  equipped  and  aided  by  all  the  appliances  of 
civilization,  from  a saw-mill  to  an  electric  light ; from  a 
garden  hoe  to  a cabinet  organ.  They  mean  to  provide  for 
their  own  wants,  using  for  this  purpose  the  best  means 
of  civilized  life,  and  giving  thus  a practical  object-lesson 
to  the  natives  of  what  Christianity  can  do  for  a people. 

We  have  said  the  missionary  was  the  pioneer  of 
civilization.  Godless  advocates  of  commerce  will  dis- 
pute the  assertion;  they  will  point  to  the  fact  that 
the  coasts  of  Africa  have  been  a trading  ground  for 
Europeans  for  several  centuries.  They  can  prove  that 
stations  for  the  prosecution  of  the  trade  in  slaves  and 
ivory,  in  rum  and  tobacco,  in  beads  and  sea  shells,  in 
oils,  cloths,  and  dye  woods,  were  established  more  than 
one  hundred  years  ago.  But  these  very  facts  only  prove 
the  truth  of  the  assertion  above.  The  first  musket  was 
landed  in  Angola  about  the  close  of  the  fifteen  cen- 
tury, for  the  Congo  was  discovered  in  1485  by  Diogo 
Cam.  It  has  taken  three  hundred  and  ninety  years  for 
four  muskets,  by  course  of  trade,  to  reach  Rubunga, 
nine  hundred  and  sixty-five  miles  from  the  sea.  The 
Bangala  just  above  the  Stanley  Pool  are  plentifully 
provided  with  muskets  and  ammunition^  yet  in  the 
course  of  trade  it  took  a keg  of  powder  about  five 
years  to  travel  from  the  coast  to  them.  The  silks  and 
teas  of  China  have  been  pouring  into  Europe  for  centuries, 
but  only  the  past  fifty  years  have  given  us  any  extensive 
and  correct  information  concerning  the  land  visited  by 
Marco  Polo  hundreds  of  years  ago.  And  in  this  devel- 
opment all  must  admit  the  missionary  has  been  the 
chief  factor. 

Not  less  rapid  has  been  the  advance  of  trade  in  the 
Congo  region.  On  the  Senegal,  the  Gambia,  the  Ra- 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


299 


quette,  the  Niger,  the  Mimi,  the  Cameroons,  the  Congo, 
the  Ogowai,  and  the  Kwenz a,  trading  stations  have  been 
rapidly  established.  Great  companies  have  been  formed, 
and  in  the  wake  of  the  peace-loving  missionaries  are 
contesting  with  each  other  the  honors  and  benefits  of 
trade.  What  this  trade  may  yet  become,  no  man  dare 
predict.  Already  the  traffic  of  the  west  coast,  from  the 
Gambia  to  the  Congo,  is  more  than  $150,000,000 
annually.  Without  doubt  a few  more  years  will  see  a 
railroad  built  from  Yivi  to  Stanley  Pool.  This  will 
render  directly  available  the  entire  navigable  portion 
of  the  Congo  to  Stanley  Falls.  Another  short  railway 
line  here  will  finish  the  road  directly  into  Central 
Africa.  The  extension  of  branches  from  these  two  rail- 
ways would,  with  less  than  one  thousand  miles  of  road, 
render  directly  accessible  a territory  one-third  larger 
than  the  United  States,  and  having  a present  population 
of  one -third  greater.  Then,  were  a railway  built  from 
Suakim  to  Berber  on  the  upper  Nile,  a distance  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  miles,  that  stream  and  the  great  lakes 
would  be  directly  accessible  from  the  Red  Sea.  A road 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  coast  around  the 
obstacles  in  the  Lower  Niger,  would  render  that  stream 
a potent  factor  in  commerce.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  of  road  from  the  Upper  Niger  would  open  the 
Lake  Chad  and  Central  Soudan  region.  A liberal 
estimate  for  the  construction  for  all  this  railway  would 
be  eighteen  million  dollars.  The  resultant  traffic  might 
readily  be  developed  to  a thousand  millions  a year. 

Floods  in  the  Congo  region  are  not  greatly  to  be 
feared.  Stanley  at  first  believed  the  volume  of  water  in 
the  river  must  be  doubled  during  the  rainy  season ; but 
the  great  upper  Congo  forest,  which  is  one  of  the  chief 
feeders,  furnishes  a heavy  drainage  during  the  larger 


ANIMALS  SEEKING  REFUGE  FROM  A FLOOD. 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


301 


part  of  the  year,  and  thus  tends  to  preserve  the  equi- 
librium. The  water  from  this  region  comes  into  the 
stream  slowly,  and  is  gradually  supplemented  by  the  more 
rapid  overflow  of  the  great  lakes  far  above.  Hence  the 
variation  of  volume  is  smaller  than  in  most  tropical 
rivers ; far  less  than  in  the  Amazon,  or  the  great  rivers 
of  China.  Nor  can  the  time  of  highwater  compare  with 
the  floodtime  of  the  narrow  Senegal  valley,  where  ani- 
mals are  often  overtaken  by  a sudden  overflow,  and  in 
their  haste  to  escape  are  for  the  nonce  huddled  together 
in  a typical  Barnum’s  “ Happy  Family.” 

Such  scenes  as  this  are  not  possible  in  a very  broad 
valley,  even  though  heavy  rains  occur  suddenly.  While 
the  country  is  consequently  quite  moist,  the  absence  of 
gorges  and  ravines  removes  one  of  the  chief  vexations 
of  the  railroader. 

Europeans  and  Americans  object  that  the  climate 
is  an  insuperable  barrier  to  the  advance  of  civilization 
in  this  region.  Testimony  on  this  point  has  been  largely 
collected  from  the  Portuguese  and  English  traders. 
These  are,  with  few  exceptions,  hard  drinkers.  The 
testimony  of  Reade,  Stanley  and  others  points  us  to  the 
fact  that  intemperance  is  the  chief  cause  of  the  fatality 
among  European  residents.  There  was  a time  in 
English  society  and  it  has  not  yet  passed  away  in 
European  lands,  when  drinking  to  excess  was  the  fashion. 
There  are  corners  of  the  earth  in  which  it  exists. 
Habitues  of  the  Gold  Coast  still  consider  it  fashionable  to 
drink  at  breakfast,  at  dinner,  at  supper,  between  meals, 
and  with  every  chance  visitor  or  customer  who  may  call 
in  the  course  of  the  day. 

As  a matter  of  fact,  a strip  along  the  west  coast  of 
Africa  is  low  and  moist,  and  decidedly  unhealthy.  In 
Senegambia  malaria  is  an  annual  visitor ; south  of  that 


302 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


region  it  is  a resident.  Nature  has  established  no 
sanitarium  but  in  the  Congo  tableland 

The  rainy  season  is  exceptionally  fatal.  The  rains 
of  the  Senegal  region  render  shoe-leather  rotten  and 
mouldy  in  twenty-four  hours.  Rawhide  lasts  better. 
Fires  are  kept  in  all  houses  to  prevent  the  mildewing  of 
the  furniture.  Mungo  Park  writes  that  his  soldiers  were 
affected  with  vomiting  by  the  rains ; that  he  himself 
was  rendered  excessively  drowsy.  The  direct  cause  of 
the  unhealthiness  of  the  climate  is  of  course  the  rapid 
decay  of  vegetable  matter,  and  the  exhalations  from  the 
marshes.  Malaria  perishes  at  a distance  of  three  miles 
out  at  sea,  and  is  not  found  in  the  mountains.  Persons 
of  a nervous  temperament,  or  of  light  hair  and  fair  com- 
plexion, or  of  plethoric  disposition,  are  more  liable  to  be 
attacked  than  others.  Fever,  when  it  appears,  is  usually 
developed  at  night.  A siesta  in  the  daytime  also  favors 
its  approach. 

The  white  frequenters  of  the  coast,  like  military 
men  in  most  hot  countries,  have  usually  contended  that 
brandy,  taken  frequently  and  in  small  quantities,  was 
necessary  for  the  preservation  of  the  health.  A man 
may  continue  this  practice  two  or  three  years,  if  he  has 
a strong  constitution.  He  then  breaks  down  with 
delirium  tremens,  or  some  horrible  disease  of  the  liver. 
The  poison  which  has  so  long  been  smouldering  in  his 
system  bursts  into  life  and  fury ; his  debilitated  system 
struggles  faintly  and  vainly  to  throw  it  off ; in  an  in- 
credibly short  time  it  seizes  and  annihilates  his  vital 
parts.  Yesterday  he  was  drinking  his  brandy  and  soda, 
and  advising  neophytes  to  take  that  kind  of  medicine. 
To-day  he  is  a corpse. 

Till  within  fifty  years,  the  climate  of  India  was  as 
much  abused  as  is  the  climate  of  Africa  to-day.  But  as 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


303 


such  practices  as  the  above  have  died  out,  or  have  been 
supplanted  by  athletic  sports,  it  has  been  proven  that 
India  was  misrepresented,  and  that  its  climate  has 
no  especial  dangers  for  the  average  European.  And 
the  experience  of  recent  explorers  is  producing  a similar 
belief  concerning  the  African  climate.  The  testimony 
of  such  men  as  Livingstone,  Stanley,  Taylor  and  Eeade 
is  not  to  be  despised.  Even  on  the  coast  the  danger 
is  not  necessarily  greater  than  in  Yera  Cruz,  or  along 
the  neighboring  Mexican  coast,  where  the  mortality  is 
seventy  in  a thousand.  Of  the  interior  Stanley  says : 
“ Hundreds  of  raw  European  youths  have  been 
launched  into  the  heart  of  the  African  Continent,  but  the 
farther  inland  they  went  the  more  they  improved  in 
physique.  It  matters  not  now  what  may  be  said  by  in- 
terested traders,  selfish  publicists,  narrow-minded,  grasp- 
ing merchants,  or  discharged  agents,  of  the  climate.  We 
have  tested  it  most  thoroughly  for  six  years.  There  is 
less  sickness,  by  half,  in  the  Congo  Basin,  even  in  the 
present  unprepared  condition,  than  there  is  in  the  bot- 
tom lands  of  Arkansas,  a state  which  has  doubled  its 
population  in  the  last  twenty-five  years.” 

In  conclusion  let  it  be  remembered  that  the  two 
great  obstacles  to  the  development  of  Africa  have  been 
the  unhealthiness  of  the  coast  region,  and  the  cataracts 
of  her  rivers.  The  explorer,  ere  he  left  the  region  of 
malaria,  was  confronted  by  apparently  insuperable  ob- 
stacles, and  left  discouraged,  or  died  where  he  stood. 

But  the  obstacles  which  commercial  enterprise  so 
long  failed  to  surmount  are  now  made  light  of.  Africa’s 
greatness  is  yet  to  come.  The  movement  of  civiliza- 
tion towards  a savage  land  is  always  slow  at  the  first ; 
but,  with  a footing  fairly  secured,  the  progress  is  rapid. 
Columbus  discovered  America  in  1492 ; 128  years  later 


304 


RESULTS  AND  POSSIBILITIES. 


the  Pilgrims  landed  on  Plymouth  Rock;  150  years  more 
had  to  pass  before  the  little  band  could  grow  to  three  mil- 
lions of  people.  One  hundred  and  twenty  years  later 
we  have  a nation  of  sixty-five  millions  of  inhabitants. 
What  will  Africa  be  in  one  or  two  hundred  years  from 
date  ? It  is  almost  certain  that  the  progress  will  be  far 
more  rapid  than  the  progress  of  America  within  the  cor- 
responding period.  And  the  two  names  that  shall  grow 
greater  with  the  years;  that  shall  be  known  as  the 
fathers  of  African  civilization,  the  benefactors  of  count- 
less millions  of  the  human  race,  are  Livingstone  and 
Stanley. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


eRE  following  Stanley  in  his  work  of  developing 
the  Congo  Free  State,  some  general  facts  con- 
cerning its  aboriginal  inhabitants  must  be 
given,  that  the  reader  may  have  a better  idea  of  the 
character  of  the  work  to  be  performed,  and  the  obstacles 
to  be  overcome  in  civilizing  the  African. 

One  who  had  given  no  especial  attention  to  the 
matter  would  be  apt  to  pronounce  all  Africans  very 
much  alike,  both  in  appearance  and  habits.  He  w7ould 
as  nearly  strike  the  truth  were  he  to  affirm  that  all 
white  races  are  alike  in  habits  of  thought  and  action. 
The  preceding  portion  of  this  volume,  though  we  have 
not  been  able  to  make  any  special  digressions  consist- 
ent with  the  interest  of  a continued  narrative,  will  prove 
to  the  reader  that  vast  differences  may  and  do  exist  even 
between  those  tribes  in  constant  intercourse  with  each 
other. 

In  the  limits  of  this  book  a detailed  account  of 
the  peculiarities  of  each  tribe  may  not  be  attempted. 
We  can  point  out  only  the  more  prominent  differences, 
and  such  customs  as  appear  most  at  variance  with 
the  accepted  ideas  of  civilized  nations.  We  say  ap- 
pear, because  the  difference  between  the  savage  and 
the  civilized  man  is  rather  one  of  appearance  and  pol- 
ish, than  of  nature ; a difference  in  degree,  not  in  kind. 

(305) 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


307 


The  American  people,  as  a class,  have  not  formed 
a fair  view  of  the  intelligence  or  capacity  of  the  average 
African.  Our  ideal  differs  from  the  real  almost  as  much 
as  does  the  Caliban  of  Shakespeare  from  the  Bras-Coupe 
of  George  Cable.  It  is  because  our  acquaintance  has 
been,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Chinaman,  limited  to  an  in- 
ferior type.  The  slaves  imported  to  this  country  were 
obtained  almost  exclusively  from  the  lowlands  of  the 
west  coast.  This  is  the  home  of  the  negro  proper,  a de- 
generate and  very  different  being  from  the  inhabitant  of 
the  great  central  plateau  that  constitutes  the  body  of 
the  African  continent.  And  the  negro  has  not  been 
long  enough  among  us  to  recover  from  the  effects  of 
centuries  of  degradation. 

Ethnologists  are  not  agreed  as  to  the  cause  of  the 
inferiority  of  the  west  coast  African.  The  prevailing 
opinion  is  that  he  is  the  product  of  the  climate.  Some 
of  the  reasons  for  this  position  will  doubtless  be  of 
interest. 

As  in  India,  the  seasons  in  Africa  are  properly  but 
two,  the  dry  and  the  rainy.  The  climate  is  as  trying  on 
animals  not  indigenous  to  the  country  as  upon  human 
beings.  Along  what  is  called  the  “ Gold  Coast,”  and  in 
many  other  portions  of  the  country,  horses  cannot  live ; 
dogs  lose  nearly  all  their  hair,  cease  to  bark,  and  be- 
come sneaking  in  their  manner;  cats  become  long- 
legged,  long-muzzled,  scanty-haired,  more  timid,  and  also 
more  savage  in  appearance ; sheep  lose  their  wool  and 
become  covered  with  a coarse,  scanty,  straight  hair. 
In  Equatorial  Africa  sheep  become  perfectly  smooth 
and  black-skinned.  Cows  in  the  same  districts  do  not 
give  milk  after  the  calf  is  weaned.  In  the  more  ma- 
larial districts  no  cattle  are  found.  Even  the  wild 
animals  are  of  a degraded  and  degenerate  type.  For- 


308 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


eign  plants  and  vegetables,  when  brought  to  Equatorial 
Africa,  lose  many  of  their  distinctive  peculiarities. 

Back  from  the  coast,  among  the  foot-hills,  the  peo- 
ple are  of  a distinct  type  from  those  on  the  coast. 
Prichard  says  : “ If  we  traverse  the  intervening  countries 
between  Egypt  and  Senegambia,  and  carefully  note  the 
physical  qualities  of  the  inhabitants,  we  shall  have  no 
difficulty  in  recognizing  almost  every  degree  or  stage  of 
deviation  successively  displayed,  and  showing  a gradual 
transition  from  the  characteristics  of  the  Egyptians  to 
those  of  the  negro,  without  any  broadly  marked  line  of 
abrupt  separation.” 

The  native  of  the  highlands  is  of  a reddish  or  olive 
color;  hair  more  abundant  and  less  woolly;  features 
more  prominent  and  less  prognathous,  with  higher  fore- 
head and  greater  intelligence  than  the  native  of  the 
miasmatic  coast  swamps,  the  true  negro.  The  last  is 
peculiar  to  the  west  coast,  though  coast  natives  in  all 
parts  of  Africa  are  of  a darker  hue  than  those  of  the  in- 
terior. There  is  a constant  movement  toward  the  west ; 
and  it  is  noticeable  that  the  more  intelligent,  light- 
colored  and  physically  fine-formed  interior  tribes,  on 
reaching  the  coast  swamps,  soon  degenerate  to  the  true 
negro  type ; while  the  negro  in  the  more  healthy  regions 
becomes  of  better  form,  appearance  and  capacity.  The 
natives  of  Sierra  Leone  are  tall  and  really  handsome. 
The  Liberian  Krumen  and  the  Senegal  Wollofs  are  of 
great  stature  and  wonderful  strength,  as  compared  with 
the  natives  of  the  more  malarial  regions. 

The  great  branches  of  the  African  race  all  develop 
negro  types.  It  is  now  generally  conceded  that  the 
negro  represents  a degree,  rather  than  a distinct  race. 
Such  would  be  the  natural  deduction  from  the  foregoing 
facts.  And  nearly  all  the  degenerate  types  known  as 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRI0AN. 


309 


negroes  are  found  on  the  borders  of  their  ancestral 
tribes.  Thus,  the  east  coast  of  Africa  shows  us  the 
Abyssinian  type  of  aborigines,  more  resembling  Arabs 
than  negroes.  North  Africa  gives  us  the  Kabyles  and 
Berbers,  of  decidedly  Moorish  peculiarities.  South 
Africa  shows  the  great  Kaffir  families,  and  the  Hotten- 
tots and  Bushmen,  The  Sennaar  tribes  of  the  Niger 
and  Lake  Tchad  more  approach  the  Arab.  Yet  where 
these  families  verge  upon  low  and  intertropical  regions, 
they  at  once  develop  negroid  branches.  The  brown, 
reddish,  or  olive-colored  races  are  more  numerous  than 
the  black ; and  among  the  liill-tribes,  or  those  far  from 
hot,  swampy  districts,  thin  lips  and  prominent  noses  are 
the  rule.  Precisely  the  same  peculiarity  is  noticeable  in 
the  South  Sea  Islands.  Those  of  the  higher  latitudes, 
or  on  elevated  islets,  are  of  a light  brown  or  olive  tint, 
nearly  approaching  white ; while  those  of  the  low  and 
moist  islands  are  of  a decidedly  negroid  type  : so  much 
so  as  to  cause  many  to  think  at  first  they  belonged  to 
an  entirely  distinct  race. 

So  the  negro  is  simply  an  inter-tropical  African  in 
a humid  locality.  His  distinctive  features  are  well 
known : hair  decidedly  woolly,  white  of  the  eye  tinged 
with  yellow,  lips  thick,  mouth  projecting,  hips  less 
prominent  than  in  the  white  man,  calf  of  leg  small, 
skull  very  strong  and  thick,  beard  very  scanty.  Except 
in  some  west  coast  equatorial  regions,  he  is  very  prolific. 
In  temperament,  he  is  lethargic.  Stimulants  do  not 
make  of  him  such  an  infuriated  madman  as  the  North 
American  Indian  when  intoxicated,  or  the  bhang-smok- 
ing Malay.  He  consequently  suffers  less,  and  also  has 
less  compassion  for  the  sufferings  of  others,  than  the 
white  man.  He  is  childish,  fickle,  and  phlegmatically 
cruel.  He  never  tortures  his  prisoners  of  war,  as  does 


310 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


the  Indian,  though  he  may  slay  many  thousands  as  a 
pastime,  or  for  religious  reasons.  The  refinements  of 
pleasure  and  cruelty  are  equally  unknown  to  him.  If 
ill  or  well  betide  him,  he  is  alike  impassive. 

There  are  some  notable  exceptions  to  this  last,  how- 
ever. The  Kru-boys  of  a small  west  coast  district  are 
high-spirited,  and  the  slavers  long  ago  learned  to  leave 
them  alone,  for  pecuniary  reasons.  When  enslaved, 
they  quickly  pine  away  and  die— the  slavers  termed  it 
“ sulking  themselves  to  death.”  These  Krumen  are 
physical  giants,  and  are  the  reliance  of  the  west  coast 
traders,  for  all  purposes  of  labor. 

For  the  most  part,  the  Kaffir,  Berber,  and  Nilotic 
families  lie#  without  our  range,  as  we  shall  notice  only 
those  people  most  directly  affected  by  the  establishment  of 
Congo  state.  Of  physical  peculiarities  nothing  need  be 
said,  of  most.  But  the  strange  dwarfs  whose  existence 
was  long  doubted,  despite  the  many  corroborative  re- 
ports, deserve  a word  in  passing. 

A noted  author  has  said  that  man  originates  noth- 
ing. So  there  are  no  such  things  as  falsehoods  in  the 
absolute.  Fables,  fictions,  and  legends  are  but  distor- 
tions or  embellishments  of  the  truth.  The  latter  is  ab- 
solute and  eternal : the  former  only  a dependent  and 
relative. 

Much  smoke,  some  fire.  So  we  may  take  the  many 
fables  of  the  ancients  and  find  a reason  for  the  exist- 
ence of  all.  Every  myth  embodies  an  idea,  or  distorts 
a fact.  The  army  of  Kegulus  meets  a python ; it  is  a 
serpent  as  huge  as  a mountain.  iElian  sees  the  bark- 
ing baboons,  or  Barbary  apes;  we  hear  of  dog-faced 
men.  The  mermaid  of  the  mariners  is  the  manatee,  or 
dugong,  with  breast  like  a woman.  Many  a Sindbad 
the  Sailor  has  lost  his  reputation  for  veracity  through 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


311 


his  tales  of  the  roc,  a marvelous  bird  capable  of  carry- 
ing off  an  elephant.  Modern  science  has  partially  vin- 
dicated the  ancient  mariner  by  proving  the  former  ex- 
istence of  a bird  to  which  the  ostrich  is  a pigmy.  The 
fabled  dragon  has  its  representative  in  the  flying  lizard, 
and  its  prototype  in  the  pterodactyl.  The  sea-serpent 
exists ; but  his  relative  size  depends  largely  upon  the 
magnifying  glass  used  by  the  enthusiastic  naturalist.  A 
six-glassed  magnifier,  with  sugar  and  a spoon  to  stir 
the  steaming  contents,  is  possessed  of  telescopic  and  re- 
duplicative powers.  A whale  seen  through  such  a me- 
dium might  prove  an  object  of  interest  to  scientists. 
The  strange  animal  which  would  never  set  foot  on  the 
ground  has  proved  no  figment  of  a wandering  brain : 
we  have  the  sloth.  Negroes  of  the  interior  had  stories 
of  strange  white  men  from  the  seas  who  had  hoofs. 
They  wore  boots.  Tailed  men  have  been  told  of  again 
and  again.  The  world  has  laughed ; the  world  laughs 
no  more.  Tailed  men  have  been  born  in  England. 
Travelers  have  seen  them  in  different  regions  of  the 
world.  Such  cases  are  pathological : no  more  remark- 
able than  people  with  six  fingers  and  toes.  Man  is  a 
tailed  animal ; the  cases  reported  were  simply  of  fuller 
development.  The  unicorn  may  yet  prove  to  be  a 
gemsbok  with  a single  horn,  just  as  elephants  are  found 
with  but  a single  tusk. 

Africa  is  the  land  of  monsters.  Congenital  de- 
formities are  here  more  frequent  than  elsewhere  on  the 
globe.  It  is  the  paradise  of  the  differentiation  of 
species.  The  accounts  of  tailed  tribes  may  yet  be 
traced  to  a peculiarity  of  dress  or  ornamentation.  Per- 
haps such  tribes  existed.  The  African  would  establish  a 
race  of  congenitally  deformed  people  by  banishing  such, 
or  forbidding  them  to  marry  those  of  normal  condition. 


312 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


Tales  of  dwarfs  in  Africa  have  been  passed  around 
since  the  days  of  Andrew  Battel,  in  the  17th  century. 
The  wise  men  placed  them  in  the  same  category  as  the 
foregoing  inexplicable  myths  ; the  ignorant  believed  and 
trembled.  But  the  present  century  has  seen  Du  Chaillu 
among  the  Obongo  pigmies.  Delbo,  a servant  of  the 
missionary  Krapf,  tells  of  the  strange  Dokos,  southwest 
of  the  Galla  country. 

“ Delbo  begins  by  stating  that  the  people  of  Doko, 
both  men  and  women,  are  said  not  to  be  taller  than 
boys  nine  or  ten  years  old.  They  go  quite  naked. 
Their  principal  food  is  ants,  snakes,  mice,  and  other 
things  which  commonly  are  not  used  for  food.  They  are 
said  to  be  so  skillful  in  finding  out  the  ants  and  snakes 
that  Delbo  could  not  refrain  from  praising  them  greatly 
on  that  account.  The  Dokos  are  so  fond  of  this  food 
that  even  when  they  become  acquainted  with  other  ali- 
ment in  Enarea  and  Kaffa,  they  nevertheless  frequently 
incur  punishment  for  following  their  inclination  of 
digging  in  search  of  ants  and  snakes  as  soon  as  they 
are  out  of  sight  of  their  masters.  The  skins  of  snakes 
are  worn  by  them  about  their  necks,  as  ornaments. 
They  also  climb  trees  with  great  skill  to  fetch  down  the 
fruits,  and  in  doing  this  they  stretch  their  hands  down- 
wards and  their  legs  upwards.  They  live  in  extensive 
forests  of  bamboo  and  other  woods,  which  are  so  thick 
that  the  slave-hunters  find  it  very  difficult  to  follow 
them  in  those  retreats.  These  hunters  sometimes  dis- 
cover a number  of  Dokos  sitting  on  the  trees,  and  then 
use  the  artifice  of  showing  them  shining  things,  by 
which  they  are  enticed  to  descend,  when  they  are  capt- 
ured without  difficulty.  As  soon  as  a Doko  begins  to 
cry  he  is  killed,  for  the  apprehension  is  that  this,  as  a 
sign  of  danger,  will  cause  the  others  to  talie  to  their 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


313 


heels.  Even  the  women  climb  readily  into  trees, 
whence,  in  a few  minutes,  they  are  coaxed  by  their 
favorite  foods  and  a great  number  of  them  are  captured 
and  sold  into  slavery.  The  Dokos  live  mixed  together ; 
men  and  women  unite  and  separate  as  they  please ; and 
this  Delbo  considers  as  the  reason  why  that  tribe  has 
not  been  exterminated : though  frequently  a single  slave- 
dealer  returns  home  with  a thousand  of  them  reduced 
to  slavery.  The  mother  suckles  her  child  only  so  long 
as  it  is  unable  to  find  ants  and  snakes  for  its  food.  She 
abandons  it  as  soon  as  it  can  get  its  food  by  itself.  No 
rank  or  order  exists  among  the  Dokos ; nobody  obeys, 
nobody  orders,  nobody  defends  the  country,  nobody 
cares  for  the  welfare  of  the  nation.  They  make  no  at- 
tempt to  secure  themselves  but  by  running  away ; they  are 
as  quick  as  monkeys,  and  they  are  very  sensible  to  the 
misery  prepared  for  them  by  the  slave-hunters,  who  so 
frequently  encircle  their  forests  and  drive  them  into  the 
open  plains  like  wild  beasts.  When  thus  pressed,  they 
are  often  heard  praying.  They  put  their  hands  on  the 
ground,  and  stretch  their  legs  upwards,  and  cry  in  a 
pitiful  manner,  ‘ Yer  ! Yer  ! ’ ” 

Palpable  fables,  these.  No  slave-trader  has  ever 
brought  such  creatures  to  the  coast.  But  the  story 
serves  as  a specimen  of  the  many  fables  told.  Some 
ground  for  the  account  is  undeniable.  Specimens  of 
the  pigmy  Akkas,  who  live  south  of  The  Welle,  have 
been  brought  to  Europe  by  Italian  explorers.  Battel, 
who  wrote  three  hundred  years  ago,  speaks  of  a tribe  of 
dwarfs  inhabiting  the  same  region  in  which  Du  Chailln 
has  visited  the  Obongos.  These  tribes,  and  the  Bush- 
men of  South  Africa,  are  probably  the  remnants  of  an 
aboriginal  Central  African  family  that  has  gradually 
died  out  before  the  encroachment  of  a more  powerful 


314 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


people.  Remnants  of  a singular  race  of  dwarfish  men  are 
found  in  Madagascar,  but  they  seem  of  a different  type. 

The  Obongos  and  Bushmen  cannot  be  called  de- 
formed, but  the  Akkas  may  be  fairly  so  considered. 
They  are  thin-limbed  and  pot-bellied.  Their  bodies  are 
curved  almost  like  the  letter  S,  and  they  walk  with  such 
a waddling  lurch  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  for  any  of 
them  to  carry  a full  dish  without  spilling  some  of  its 
contents.  They  are  a cunning,  elfish  race,  low  in  intel- 
ligence, huge-eared,  broad-shouldered,  narrow-chested, 
and  ape-like  in  their  gestures.  The  Monbutto,  among 
whom  some  of  them  have  settled,  protect  them  as  useful 
in  obtaining  food  supplies,  the  Akkas  being  a nation  of 
hunters,  much  as  the  Obongos  are  protected  by  the 
Ashangos.  That  they  will  eat  snakes,  ants,  or  almost 
any  other  living  thing,  is  pretty  well  established.  This 
is  not  exceptional,  however,  for  there  are  few  things  that 
the  lower  branches  of  the  African  races  will  noteat. 
Certain  kinds  of  clay  are  relished  by  Senegambian 
tribes;  and  the  dwarfs,  Bushmen,  and  Hottentots  are 
not  particular  as  to  their  meat  being  fresh ; in  fact,  the 
Bushman  in  particular  seems  to  like  his  game  rather 
“high.”  A putrid  elephant  is  a grand  piece  of  good 
luck.  The  entire  village  will  remove  to  it,  and  spend 
the  time  in  gorging  and  sleeping  till  the  supply  be 
exhausted. 

There  is  not,  upon  the  low-lying  west  coast,  a 
single  tribe  or  nation  whose  tribal  existence  is  very 
ancient.  In  this  respect  they  are  different  from  the 
Central  African  tribes,  the  legends  and  myths  of  which 
indicate  for  many  of  them  a fair  degree  of  antiquity. 
The  coast  is  filled  with  the  overflow  of  the  central 
plateau.  In  many  parts  of  the  coast,  on  account  of 
idleness,  early  vice,  and  the  enervating  climate,  the 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN, 


315 


population  would  rapidly  perish  if  dependent  only  upon 
natural  increase.  Impotency  and  barrenness  are  re- 
markably common.  The  African  youth  are  precocious. 
They  usually  talk  at  a year  old,  and  when  eight  or  nine 
nature  allows  them  to  put  into  practice  those  theories 
which,  strange  as  it  appears,  they  have  already  studied 
out.  But,  in  consequence,  the  births  in  some  parts  do 
not  average  one  for  each  wife,  and  not  a few  children 
die  of  exposure. 

Two  or  three  centuries  since,  the  greatest  power  in 
West  Africa  was  the  Congo  Empire.  Enough  of  it  exists 
to-day  to  show  us  the  peculiarities  of  its  people ; its 
power  is  gone.  It  has  given  modern  scholars  an  oppor- 
tunity to  study  the  peculiarities  of  the  ancient  African 
religion,  as  it  is  generally  believed  that  it  has  not  been 
influenced  by  association  with  Christian  or  Moham- 
medan teachers.  Yet  there  are  peculiarities  that  are 
against  this  belief.  Certain  sects  believe  in  a supreme 
being,  whom  they  call  Desu  or  Nghesu,  and  whom  they 
invoke  in  time  of  great  extremity.  At  other  times  they 
are  rank  fetish  worshippers.  The  name  seems  too 
striking  to  be. the  result  of  a mere  coincidence.  Per- 
haps these  people  wandered  across  from  Abyssinia. 

One  of  the  most  notorious  rulers  of  this  empire  was 
a woman  named  Shinga,  who  came  to  the  throne  in 
1640.  Quarreling  with  the  Portuguese,  she  was  driven 
from  the  country.  In  a few  years  she  regained  her 
throne.  There  she  lived  by  plunder  and  bloodshed.  Ere 
undertaking  any  new  enterprise,  she  would  sacrifice  the 
handsomest  man  she  could  find.  Dressed  in  her  war- 
rior’s costume,  she  would  dance  and  sing ; then,  striking 
off  the  victim’s  head  with  a sword,  she  drank  his  blood. 

She  kept  fifty  or  sixty  male  concubines,  whom 
she  dressed  as  women;  she  dressed  as  a man.  They 


TEMBAND  UMBA . 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


317 


were  killed  if  they  denied  hey  were  women,  but 
could  keep  as  many  wives  as  they  chose,  if  a child 
were  born  to  one  of  them,  the  father  was  compelled  to 
kill  It  himself. 

The  most  terrible  scourge  of  Africa  appeared  in  the 
sixteenth  century.  The  Jagas,  coming  whence  it  is  not 
certain,  fell  upon  the  luxurious  Conghese  empire  like  the 
Huns  upon  Rome.  Their  king,  Zimbo,  wa's  an  African 
Attila.  Congo  became  a desert.  Finding  provisions 
scarce,  Zimbo  divided  his  troops.  Central  Africa  was 
desolated.  Abyssinia  and  Mozambique  he  overran. 
The  Portuguese  opposed  him ; their  skulls  became  the 
pavement  before  his  house.  Then  came  his  Waterloo 
in  the  Kingdom  of  Melinda.  The  fugitive  followed  the 
coast,  passing  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  to  a river, 
Cunevc,  south  of  the  Congo.  A town  was  built ; then 
Zimbo  died.  Like  Alexander’s  empire,  Congo  went  to 
pieces. 

One  of  the  petty  chieftains,  Donji,  settled  the  dis- 
trict of  Matamba.  He  and  his  concubine  achieved 
some  notable  conquests ; and,  aided  by  his  daughter, 
Tembundumba,  his  concubine  prosecuted  the  conquests 
after  his  death.  Struck  with  Tembandumba’s  courage 
and  ability,  the  queen  gave  her  command  of  half  the 
army.  The  daughter  soon  became  the  head  of  the  na- 
tion. 

A lioness  in  war,  she  was  a tigress  in  passion,  a 
vulture  in  appetite,  a fiend  incarnate  in  everything. 
She  admitted  a crowd  of  lovers  to  her  arms,  and  tort- 
ured them  to  death  as  soon  as  her  lust  was  sated. 
When  her  mother,  herself  a wife  of  Satan,  remonstrated, 
she  rebelled. 

She  would  turn  the  world  into  a wilderness,  slay  all 
living  creatures,  burn  all  vegetation.  Man  should  be 


318 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


food  for  her  and  her  people;  blood  their  drink.  All 
male  children,  all  females  whose  upper  teeth  appeared 
before  their  lower,  and  all  twins,  the  mothers  should 
slay.  Ointment  should  be  made  from  their  bodies. 

She  seized  the  infant  at  her  breast,  pounded  him 
to  pulp  in  a mortar,  boiled  the  mess  with  roots,  leaves 
and  oils,  smeared  herself  with  the  compound,  and  pro- 
claimed herself  invulnerable  and  able  to  subdue  the  uni- 
verse. Fired  by  her  example,  her  subjects  did  likewise. 
But  the  effect  was  only  temporary,  and  in  time  the  oint- 
ment was  made  from  children  captured  in  war.  Male 
prisoners  were  used  for  purposes  of  procreation,  then 
slain. 

Fiercer  and  more  capricious  she  grew.  In  constant 
war,  her  courage  and  skill  retained  the  admiration  of 
her  followers,  and  thus  prevented  open  revolt.  Still 
more  and  more  lustful  and  ferocious,  she  embraced  a 
lover  one  day,  she  ate  him  the  next. 

She  fell  in  love  with  a kindred  spirit ; a young  man 
named  Culemba.  She  married  him,  caressed  him,  grew 
tired  of  him,  yawned  at  him.  Seeing  he  was  destined 
for  the  dinner  pot,  he  invited  her  to  a great  feast. 
Choice  male  infants  were  served,  with  imported  slaves 
from  a distance  on  the  side ; poisoned  wine  was  given 
her  in  the  skulls  of  her  enemies. 

Culemba’s  violent  demonstrations  of  grief  served  to 
divert  suspicion.  And  the  people  were  weary  of  their 
queen.  The  Amazon  Empire  was  at  an  end. 

To-day  the  only  two  really  powerful  empires  in 
West  Africa  are  those  of  Ashantee  and  Dahomey, 
neighbors  and  rivals.  The  former  has  stood  some  cen- 
turies, founded,  it  is  believed,  by  tribes  driven  south- 
ward by  the  Moors  or  Mohammedans  of  the  Senegal. 

The  king  of  Ashantee  is  forbidden  by  law  to 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


319 


have  more  than  3333  wives.  They  are  chosen  for  phys- 
ical strength,  that  they  may  more  readily  earn  the  king’s 
living.  The  African  is  a good  study  for  the  political 
economist,  being  a staunch  advocate  of  the  division  of 
labor.  The  wife  earns  the  living:  the  husband  con- 
sumes it. 

The  succession  in  Ashantee  is  not  direct.  Even 
queens,  they  argue,  may  be  frail ; the  child  of  the  king’s 
wife  may  be  the  begotten  of  a slave.  Adultery  is  punish- 
able with  death,  but  may  be  compromised  by  a fine.  If  a 
man’s  wife  possess  the  art  of  pleasing,  she  is  sometimes 
used  as  a decoy,  both  to  expose  the  frailties  of  her 
husband’s  enemies  and  to  replete  his  exchequer. 

Treason,  cowardice,  and  murder  are  punishable 
with  death.  The  king  is  heir-at-law  to  everything  and 
everybody  in  his  domain.  In  consideration  of  his  mer- 
cifully allowing  the  people  the  use  of  his  property,  they 
pay  him  liberal  taxes.  There  are  toll-roads,  protective 
duties,  taxes  on  slaves,  and  poll  taxes.  Under  such 
system  the  negro  becomes  cunning  and  grasping.  A 
man’s  dog  kills  his  neighbor’s  hen.  Three  years  later 
the  neighbor  enters  suit  for  the  recovery  of  the  fowl,  the 
eggs  it  would  have  laid,  and  the  chickens  it  would  have 
hatched  in  the  three  years.  The  African  understands 
business.  Disciples  of  Blackstone  should  take  from  him 
a post-graduate  course. 

Amusements  are  various.  The  king  graciously  pro- 
vides entertainments,  at  which,  in  time  of  scarcity,  the 
guests  may  be  called  upon  to  do  duty  as  meats ; as 
Nero,  when  Christians  were  scarce,  would  send  his 
lictors  to  toss  the  spectators  in  the  lower  seats  to  the 
tigers. 

Coomassie,  or  the  “ City  of  Silver  ” is  the  capital  of 
Ashantee,  and  is  a neat  and  tastefully  planned  town,  as 


SPOILS  FROM  COOMASSIE. 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


321 


African  towns  go.  The  English,  when  they  captured 
the  place  in  the  Ashantee  war,  found  a deal  of  barbaric 
splendor  in  the  furnishings  and  equipage  of  the  king’s 
palace.  Gold  rings,  horns,  cups,  a golden  umbrella, 
and  such  other  paraphernalia  were  found,  besides  many 
larger  objects  overlaid  with  gold.  The  workmanship  be- 
trayed a very  fair  degree  of  skill  in  execution,  though 
not  a high  grade  of  taste. 

Dahomey,  the  rival  empire,  is  less  than  300  years 
old.  A chief  of  the  Ffons  besieged  Abomey,  and  vowed 
that  if  victorious  he  would  sacrifice  the  prince,  Da,  to 
the  gods.  This  he  did,  ripping  Da’s  belly  open  upon 
the  foundation  of  a new  palace.  Hence  Dahomey,  from 
Da-omi,  “Da’s  belly.”  The  laws  and  customs  areal- 
most  identical  with  those  of  the  neighboring  kingdom  of 
Ashantee,  which  has  in  vain  endeavored  to  crush  it. 
But  in  some  respects  they  are  more  severe.  Both 
countries  have  fixed  capitals  laid  out  in  regular  and 
named  streets.  In  some  respects  we  might  term  these 
nations  semi-civilized. 

Dahomey  has  a standing  army  of  Amazon  warriors, 
who  are  pledged  to  chastity.  This  vow,  if  broken,  is  pun- 
ishable with  death.  They  are  kept  in  a large  enclosure 
under  strict  guard;  a decidedly  more  ingenious  arrange- 
ment than  exists  in  some  civilized  communities. 

Murder  is  not  punished  as  murder , but  as  destruc- 
tion of  the  king's  property.  The  king  may  not  eat  or 
drink  in  view  of  his  subjects.  If  he  thirst,  a veil  is 
held  before  him  while  he  drinks.  He  may  not  pour  out 
anything  left  after  a draught;  he  therefore  keeps  a 
drunkard  whose  business  it  is  to  swallow  the  leavings. 
This  man’s  capacity  is  enormous. 

One  thing  should  be  remembered,  in  reading  here- 
after of  general  religious  peculiarities.  The  Ashantee 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


does  not  believe  in  witchcraft,  disdaining  the  idea  that 
God,  or  any  spirit,  should  operate  by  the  agency  of  a 
human  being ; and  the  Dahoman  does  not  practice  any 
fetish  ordeal  for  the  exposure  of  theft.  In  general,  the 
Dahomans  are  far  more  savage  and  brutal. 

Two  other  districts  in  West  Africa  we  may  notice : 
Liberia  and  Sierra  Leone,  where  civilized  nations  are 
endeavoring  to  foster  republics.  The  experiments  are 
gradually  developing;  but  neither  has  proven  so  suc- 
cessful as  the  projectors  had  hoped.  Manners  and 
laws  are  modeled  largely  after  our  own  land.  The 
following  passage  from  an  English  author  will  throw 
some  light  upon  the  peculiar  traits  of  the  people : 

“ The  negro  imitates  the  white  man  as  the  ape  imi- 
tates the  negro.  The  result  in  both  cases  is  a carica- 
ture. The  rich  negro  of  Sierra  Leone  is  dressed  as  if,, 
he  had  taken  a bath  in  a rainbow ; and  his  manners  are 
so  strained  and  pompous  that  a close  imitation  of  them, 
even  in  the  broadest  farce,  would  be  looked  upon  as  a 
rough  overacting  of  character.  But  most  comical  of  all 
is  the  manner  in  which  negroes  identify  themselves  with 
the  parent  country.  To  hear  them  talk,  you  would 
think  that  their  ancestors  had  come  over  with  William 
the  Conqueror ; and  that  they  even  take  to  themselves 
all  the  glories  of  our  history,  the  following  ancedote  will 
prove.  The  French  consular  agent  having  some  time 
ago  overstepped  the  limits  of  the  law,  a warrant  was 
taken  out  against  him.  Holding  the  sable  powers  in 
great  contempt,  he  armed  himself  with  a pair  of  pistols, 
and  defied  them  with  the  air  of  a brigand  at  the  Vic- 
toria. “ Ah  ! ” cried  the  two  constables,  rapidly  retreat- 
ing, “ we  no  care  for  you,  one  dam  Frenchman.  I tink 
you  forget  we  win  Waterloo , eh  ? ” 

It  is  one  of  the  chief  peculiarities  of  the  Sierra 


~ . 


AMAZONS  OF  DAHOMEY. 


324 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


Leone  negro  that  he  hates,  with  an  intense  and  bitter 
hatred,  this  white  man  to  whom  he  owes  everything. 
This  Christian  feeling  is  propagated  even  by  the  native 
preachers,  for  one  is  said  to  have  explained  onr  origin 
from  the  pulpit  in  the  following  manner : 

“My  breddren,  you  see  white  man  bad  too  much, 
ugly  too  much,  no  good.  You  want  sabby  how  man  like 
dat  come  to  lib  in  the  world  ? Well,  I tell  you.  Adam 
and  Eve,  dey  colored  people,  very  hansum,  lib  in  one 
beautiful  garden.  Dere  dey  hab  all  things  dat  be  good — 
plantains,  yams,  sweet  potatoos,  foo-foo  (palm  wine), 
he-igh,  too  much ! Den  dey  hab  two  childrum,  Cain  and 
Abel.  Cain  no  like  Abel’s  palaver;  one  day  he  kill  ’im. 
Den  God  angry,  and  he  say,  ‘Cain  !’  Cain  go  hide  himself ; 
he  tink  him-  bery  claber.  Heigh-heigh.  God  say  again, 
‘Cain,  you  tink  I no  see  you,  you  bush-nigger,  eh  ?’  Den 
Cain  come  out,  an’  he  say,  ‘Yes,  massa,  I lib  here.  What 
de  matter,  massa  ?’  Den  God  say  in  one  big  voice  lik 
de  tunder  in  de  sky,  ‘Where ’m  broder  Abel  ?’  Den  Cain 
turn  white  all  ober  with  fear.  Dat  de  first  white  man, 
breddren.  ” 

This  is  very  amusing  to  us,  but  it  is  a very  serious 
matter  to  foster  such  prejudice  in  an  African  pulpit,  and 
to  a sober-minded  man  sounds  blasphemous. 

After  we  leave  the  west  coast,  we  find  no  great  em- 
pires until  we  reach  the  lake  region  of  central  Africa, 
where  we  have  already  noted  the  extent  and  power  of 
Uganda,  Unyoro,  and  some  lesser  principalities.  In 
South  Africa,  the  Kaffirs  and  Zulus  have  at  times  estab- 
lished strong  governments,  but  they  have  almost  in- 
variably been  the  work  of  and  dependent  upon  some 
chieftain  of  unusual  abilities.  None  have  ever  ap- 
proached the  power  or  semi-civilization  of  the  nations 
heretofore  mentioned.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  the 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


325 


remainder  of  savcge  Africa  is  divided  into  petty  tribes, 
each  with  its  own  chief.  We  may  only  give  such  items 
by  way  of  description  as  may  in  a general  way  apply 
to  all. 

It  is  generally  said  that  each  African  tribe  has  its 
own  peculiar  religious  beliefs.  This  is  to  a certain  ex- 
tent true ; but  one  who  looks  further  than  the  mere  cere- 
monial differences  finds  the  same  dominant  element 
in  all.  Almost  every  race  has  more  or  less  clear  ideas 
of  a Supreme  Being,  who  is  held  in  great  reverence. 
Certain  tribes  have  such  a prayer  as  this,  which  they 
repeat  on  rising:  “0  God,  whom  I know  not,  but  who 
knows  me,  protect  me  this  day.”  Such  things  as  this 
tend  to  confirm  the  belief  that  all  forms  of  idolatry  are 
merely  the  result  of  a longing  for  closer  and  more  inti- 
mate communion  with  the  Divine.  But  practically, 
nearly  all  African  religion  degenerates  into  the  grossest 
fetishism,  allied  sometimes  with  voudouism.  Natives  of 
Equatorial  Africa  have  also  some  relics  of  ancestor  wor- 
ship, and  treat  their  old  people  with  remarkable  polite- 
ness. All  have  some  peculiar  orders  and  ceremonies ; 
an  order  for  males  and  one  for  females,  into  which 
youths  are  initiated.  As  might  be  expected  in  a land 
where  barrenness  and  impotency  are  so  common,  these 
ceremonies  are  largely  of  a phallic  nature.  Whether  the 
ceremony  or  the  defect  first  became  prominent,  we  can- 
not say,  but  at  the  present  dav,  vice  and  the  rites  are 
mutually  reproductive.  A deity  or  fetish  like  the  Ro- 
man Priapus  is  not  uncommon  in  West  Africa.  The 
East  African  has  greater  virility  and  is  less  cruel. 

Fetishism  is  peculiar  to  the  negro,  as  is  also  vou- 
douism, or  houdouism,  which  is  but  an  offshoot  of  the 
former.  It  is  in  the  main  mere  devil  worship.  It  rec- 
ognizes the  existence  of  a Supreme  Being,  and  of  a vast 


326 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


number  of  good  spirits.  It  is  not  considered  worth 
while  for  anyone  to  cultivate  the  favor  of  the  good 
spirits,  as  their  goodness  consists  in  letting  mankind 
alone.  These  are  all  called  good  fetishes,  as  are  also 
all  the  rites  of  worship  sacred  to  them,  or  used  to 
counteract  the  evil  influences  of  the  bad  fetishes. 

The  existence  of  the  devil  is  also  an  article  of  negro 
belief.  He  and  other  evil  spirits  are  supposed  to  be  the 
author  of  all  manner  of  evil,  and  to  be  constantly  on 
the  watch  for  an  opportunity  to  do  mischief.  “On  the 
Gold  Coast  he  is  annually  driven  away  by  the  Ashantees 
and  Fantees,  who  collect  in  groups,  armed  with  sticks 
and  muskets  or  other  weapons,  and,  on  the  firing  of  a 
gun,  Shout  tremendously,  rushing  into  their  houses 
beating  about  every  corner  with  sticks,  and  ^hen  the 
devil  is  believed  to  have  been  driven  out  of  the  houses, 
he  is  chased  out  of  town  with  lighted  flambeaux,  shout- 
ings and  the  firing  of  muskets,  until  he  is  understood  to 
have  been  completely  put  to  flight.  ” But  in  spite  of 
this  discouraging  demonstration  he  manages  to  get  in 
his  work  pretty  well  during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

In  Equatorial  Africa,  the  bad  spirit,  worshiped 
through  fear,  they  call  Mbwiri ; the  name  of  the  good 
spirit,  like  the  ineffable  name  of  the  Hebrews,  or  that 
name  which  is  known  to  master^, masons,  and  is  never 
spoken  but  in  a whisper  and  in  fiill  lodge?  ^ never  * 
spoken  aloud.  Reade.  :n  the  course  of  several  years’* 
travel  in  Africa,  heard  it  but  on  two  occasions ; one?!5' 
during  a dreadful  tropical  tornado,  when  his  men,  wild 
with  terror,  threw  their  clinched  hands  in  agony  toward 
the  sky,  crying,  “Njambi,  Njambi;  let  us  live!” 

The  reader  must  understand  that  the  underlying 
principle  of  fetishism  is  that  man’s  normal  condition  is 
one  of  peace  and  happiness,  and  that  all  sickness  and 


AFRICAN  TORNADO. 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


326 

number  of  good  spirits.  It  is  not  considered  worth 
while  for  anyone  to  cultivate  the  favor  of  the  good 
spirits,  as  their  goodness  consists  in  letting  mankind 
alone.  These  are  all  called  good  fetishes,  as  are  also 
all  the  rites  of  worship  sacred  to  them,  or  used  to 
* counteract  the  evil  influences  of  the  bad  fetishes. 

The  existence  of  the  devil  is  also  an  article  of  negro 
belief.  He  and  other  evil  spirits  are  supposed  to  be  the 
author  of  all  manner  of  evil,  and  to  be  constantly  on 
the  watch  for  an  opportunity  to  do  mischief.  “On  the 
Gold  Coast  he  is  annually  driven  away  by  the  Ashantees 
and  Fantees,  who  collect  in  groups,  armed  with  sticks  I 
and  muskets  or  other  weapons,  and,  on  the  firing  of  a 
gun,  shout  tremendously,  rushing  into  their  houses 
beating  about  every  corner  with  sticks,  and  when  the 
devil  is  believed  to  have  been  driven  out  of  the  houses, 
he  is  chased  out  of  town  with  lighted  flambeaux,  shout- 
ings and  the  firing  of  muskets,  until  he  is  understood  to 
have  been  completely  put  to  flight.  ” But  in  spite  of 
this  discouraging  demonstration  he  manages  to  get  in 
his  work  pretty  well  during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

In  Equatorial  Africa,  the  bad  spirit,  worshiped 
through  fear,  they  call  Mbwiri ; the  name  of  the  good 
spirit,  like  the  ineffable  name  of  the  Hebrews,  or  that 
name  which  is  known  to  master- masons,  and  is  never 
spoken  but  in  a whisper  and  in  full  lodge,  is  never 
spoken  aloud.  Beade,  in  the  course  of  several  years’ 
travel  in  Africa,  heard  it  but  on  two  occasions ; once 
during  a dreadful  tropical  tornado,  when  his  men,  wild 
with  terror,  threw  their  clinched  hands  in  agony  toward 
the  sky,  crying,  “Njambi,  Njambi;  let  us  live  !” 

The  reader  must  understand  that  the  underlying 
principle  of  fetishism  is  that  man’s  normal  condition  is 
one  of  peace  and  happiness,  and  that  all  sickness  and 

— 


328 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


pain  is  caused  by  the  bad  fetishes.  As  these  are  sup- 
posed to  be  unable  to  operate  extensively,  except 
through  the  medium  of  some  person  dr  persons,  fetish- 
ism also  becomes  allied  with  witchcraft.  A person  is 
tortured,  in  many  places,  in  order  to  test  his  or  her 
guilt.  Such  proceedings  have  died  out  where  the  slave 
trade  is  abolished,  and  efforts  are  made  to  propitiate  'the 
bad  fetish  by  means  of  offerings.  A.  common  means  of 
testing  a witch  in  Equatorial  Africa  was  by  giving  the 
accused  a drink  of  quai,  and  telling  him  to  step  over  a 
number  of  small  sticks  laid  two  feet  apart  on  the  ground. 
If  the  drink  acted  as  a diuretic  the  party  was  innocent ; 
if  it  produced  vertigo,  the  sticks  appeared  great  logs,  and 
the  person  in  awkwardly  trying  to  step  over  them,  would 
fall  to  the  ground,  and  was  therefore  guilty. 

If  the  African  desires  to  hunt,  he  makes  fetish  for 
his  success ; if  he  sleep,  some  one  must  keep  up  a din  to 
drive  away  evil  spirits  ; let  him  travel  or  trade,  live  or  die, 
marry  or  fight,  he  must  dance,  wear  charms  and  other- 
wise make  fetish. 

Fetish,  in  short,  rules  almost  every  act  of  the  su- 
perstitious African’s  life,  just  as  divination  from  the 
entrails  of  animals,  the  flight  of  birds,  the  appearance  of 
the  heavens,  controlled  the  important  actions  of  the  an- 
cient Greeks  and  Eomans.  There  is  a difference,  how- 
ever, in  the  principles  involved.  The  fetish  of  the  Afri- 
can is  a spell  or  incantation,  to  produce  the  desired  end. 
The  augury  of  the  ancients  was  designed  to  ascertain  the 
will  of  the  gods.  The  one  involves  insubmission  and 
compulsion;  the  other  inquiry  and  resignation — similar 
results  from  opposite  extremes. 

The  objects  used  in  fetish  are  various.  They  range 
through  all  grades,  from  common,  curious  or  puerile,  to 
the  filthy  and  cruel.  Bits  of  wood,  feathers,  old  rags — 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


329 


these  are  plentiful.  Concoctions  are  made  rivaling 
Shakespeare’s  witches’  caldron  : and  a powerful  fetish  is 
made  by  hanging  up  the  head  of  a warrior  and  leaving  it 
to  putrefy.  The  earth  beneath,  soaked  with  decaying 
matter,  is  deemed  a potent  charm.  The  fetish  man, 
where  this  is  practiced,  smears  his  forehead  with  the 
mess.  Some  tribes,  on  going  to  war,  boil  a child  with 
a banana  and  other  vegetable  productions,  that  they 
may  be  successful.  Occasionally  a fowl  or  goat  is  sub- 
stituted for  the  child.  Certain  rites  or  incantations  are 
classed  as  bad  fetish  ; others  as  good  fetish. 

Voudouism  is  but  the  system  of  pretended  incanta- 
tion of  fetishism  allied  with  a knowledge  of  secret  poi- 
soning. Its  use  is  largely  to  get  rid  of  those  persons  who 
may  be  obnoxious  to  the  voudouist.  The  famous  poi- 
soners of  Europe  of  three  or  four  centuries  ago  were  the 
merest  charlatans  in  the  art  as  compared  with  the  Afri- 
can voudouist.  Says  Reade,  “I  had  not  been  long  in 
the  interior  before  I found  poisoning  was  the  stock  ar- 
ticle of  conversation,  as  the  weather  is  with  us.  The 
Bishop  of  Loanda  died  suddenly.  The  priests  were  to  be 
seen  crying  like  children,  and  declaring  openly  that  he 
had  been  poisoned.  A few  days  afterward,  a priest  also 
died  suddenly.  And  on  the  public  quay,  in  the  open 
streets,  by  the  stalls  or  the  market-place,  men  said  to 
one  another,  ‘The  murderer  of  the  bishop  is  dead!”  On 
another  occasion,  Reade’s  host,  seeing  him  drink  coffee 
while  the  rest  drank  tea,  told  one  of  his  poor  relations 
to  hurry  up  and  take  some  coffee,  saying  to  Reade  in  a 
commonplace  manner,  “So  that  if  you  should  be  poi- 
soned on  the  road,  you  shall  not  think  it  was  here.  ” 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  poisoning  habit  is  not  limited 
to  th®  voudouists. 

Witchcraft  is  the  offspring  of  fetishism  and  charlatan- 


380 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


ism.  All  lands  have  their  physicians,  and  all  phy- 
sicians must  preserve  their  reputation.  Wounds, 
bruises  and  broken  limbs  are  not  generally  assignable 
to  any  mysterious  cause,  and  such  the  native  doctors 
can  usually  treat  with  fair  success.  Internal  or  consti- 
tutional diseases  usually  baffle  them.  As  justice  (?)  is 
rather  summary  where  it  exists,  the  doctor  must  be 
ready  with  a plausible  excuse  for  the  failure  of  his  med- 
icines. He  falls  back  upon  witchcraft,  which,  like  char- 
ity, covers  a multitude  of  sins.  Some  witch  is  using  her 
baneful  influence  to  checkmate  the  philanthropic  doctor. 
So  all  illness  is  speedily  attributed  to  witchcraft,  and  in 
not  a few  regions,  all  accidents  are  credited  to  the  same 
source. 

The  forms  of  witchcraft  are  various.  On  the 
island  of  Fernando  Po,  is  a popular  belief  that  on  the  sev- 
enth day  after  a child  is  born,  the  midwife  can  transform 
herself  into  an  owl  and  will  come  to  suck  the  child’s 
blood.  As  the  witch  cannot  endure  good  company, 
young  girls  crowd  about  the  house  in  the  evening.  They 
watch,  and  sing,  and  dance,  and  eat  and  drink  till  day- 
light, effectually  disturbing  the  witch  and  the  slumbers 
of  the  neighborhood.  This  belief  in  the  power  of  cer- 
tain people  to  transform  themselves  into  animals  is 
found  chiefly  in  West  Africa.  An  English  traveler 
tells  of  a man  struck  down  by  a crocodile  and  rescued  by 
his  companions.  When  he  recovered  consciousness,  he 
said  he  knew  perfectly  well  who  it  was ; it  was  Abdallah, 
whom  he  had  offended  a few  days  before. 

If  any  ope  be  ill,  the  fetish  man  hunts  for  the  witch. 
Quite  frequently  the  suspect  is  some  one  obnoxious  to 
the  chief  of  the  village,  to  the  sickman,  ortothefetish  doc- 
tor. The  accused  is  sometimes  tortured  to  elicit  a con- 
fession ; oftener,  to  induce  him  or  her  to  undo  the  charm. 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


331 


The  usual  result  is,  that  deaths  never  come  singly.  The 
accused,  if  pleading  guilty,  is  put  to  death  as  a male- 
factor ; if  not,  as  a malefactor  and  liar.  It  reminds  us 
of  the  good  old  Puritan  method  of  testing  a supposed 
witch.  The  accused,  tied  up  in  a sack,  was  thrown  into 
the  water.  If  she  drowned,  she  was  innocent ; if  she 
floated,  shb  was  guilty  and  was  burned  or  hung. 

Modes  of  execution  are  horrible  in  the  extreme.  One 
traveler  tells  of  an  instance  which  came  under  his  ob- 
servation. The  accused,  an  old  man,  was  bound  to  a 
log.  Then  one  of  the  savages  came  up  and  seizing  a 
hatchet,  chopped  off  the  first  joint  of  one  finger.  After 
a brief  interval,  a second  did  likewise  by  another  finger. 
The  fingers  having  each  lost  a joint,  the  toes  were  treated 
likewise.  Then  a second  joint  was  taken  off  all  around. 
Fingers  and  toes  gone,  the  ears  and  nose  followed.  Then 
the  hands  were  severed  from  the  wrists,  and  the  feet 
from  the  ankles.  Then  the  elbows  and  knees  were 
sundered,  and  the  victim  speedily  bled  to  death.  The 
entire  performance,  with  the  intermittent  yelling  and  in- 
cantations, lasted  several  hours.  This,  however,  is  an 
unusual  case.  Commonly  the  victim  is  burnt,  or  quick- 
ly hacked  to  pieces. 

One  of  the  consequences  of  the  belief  in  witchcraft 
is  a belief  in  the  power  of  certain  people  to  produce  i;ain 
at  will.  This  form  of  superstition  is  spread  over  nearly 
all  Africa.  In  East  and  Central  Africa,  the  rain-maker 
is  usually  a chief,  though  sometimes  only  a common 
self-assertive  peasant.  In  West  Africa,  particularly  in 
the  Congo  region,  he  is  usually  a sort  of  a priest.  His 
position  is  rather  more  dangerous  in  some  respects  than 
that  of  the  doctor,  as  it  will  not  do  for  him  to  acknowl- 
edge there  is  one  greater  in  the  profession  than  he.  Each 
one  usually  knows  he  is  merely  an  impostor,  but  the 


332 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


people  seem  to  place  implicit  faith  in  them.  Sometimes, 
however,  an  impatient  people  burns  a rain-maker  or 
two,  in  a dry  season,  as  a gentle  reminder  to  the  rest  of 
the  profession  to  hurry  up  the  needed  showers.  Such 
cases  are  rare,  however.  The  average  rain-maker  thor- 
oughly understands  his  business.  If  the  people  grow 
restless,  he  demands  as  a requisite  for  his  incantations 
something  almost  impossible  to  obtain ; as,  for  example, 
some  wild  animal  absolutely  perfect,  not  a hair  wanting. 
He  is  too  shrewd  to  promise  rain  in  the  dry  season.  The 
following  account  of  a rain-making  chief  in  the  Obbo 
country  will  be  read  with  interest.  It  is  from  Sir  Samuel 
Baker’s  narrative : 

4 4 There  had  been  no  rain  for  a fortnight.  4 Well,’ 
I replied,  4 you  are  the  rain-maker,  why  don’t  you  give 
your  people  rain ? ’ 4 Give  my  people  rain? ’ said  Kat- 

chiba.  4 1 give  them  rain  if  they  don’t  give  me  goats  ? 
You  don’t  know  my  people ; if  I am  fool  enough  to  give 
them  rain  before  they  give  me  goats,  they  would  let  me 
starve.  No,  no;  let  them  wait;  if  they  don’t  bring  me 
supplies  of  corn,  goats,  fowls,  yams,  merissa,  and  all 
that  I require,  not  one  drop  of  rain  shall  ever  fall  again 
in  Obbo.  Impudent  brutes,  are  my  people.  Do  you 
know  that  they  have  positively  threatened  to  kill  me  un- 
less I bring  rain  ? They  shan’t  have  a drop : I will 
Wither  the  crops  and  bring  a plague  upon  their  flocks. 
I’ll  teach  these  rascals  to  insult  me.’  With  all  this 
bluster,  I saw  that  old  Katchiba  was  in  a great  dilemma, 
and  that  he  would  give  anything  for  a shower,  but  that 
he  did  not  know  how  to  get  out  of  the  scrape.  It  was  a 
common  freak  of  the  tribes  to  sacrifice  the  rain-maker 
should  he  be  unsuccessful.  He  suddenly  altered  his 
tone  and  asked,  4 Have  you  any  rain  in  your  country  ? ’ 
I replied  that  we  had  every  now  and  then.  4 How  do 


MASKED  FETISH  MAN. 


334 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


you  bring  it  ? Are  you  a rain-maker?’  I told  him  that 
no  one  believed  in  rain-makers  in  our  country,  but  that 
we  understood  how  to  bottle  lightning  (meaning  elec- 
tricity). ‘ I don’t  keep  mine  in  bottles,  but  I have  a 
houseful  of  thunder  and  lightning,’  he  most  coolly  re- 
plied. 4 But  if  you  can  bottle  lightning,  you  must  un- 
derstand rain-making.  What  do  you  think  of  the 
weather  to-day  ? ’ I immediately  saw  the  drift  of  the 
cunning  old  Katchiba : he  wanted  professional  advice. 
I replied  that  he  must  know  all  about  it,  as  he  was  a 
professional  rain-maker.  4 Of  course  I do,’  he  replied, 

‘ but  I want  to  know  what  you  think  of  it?  ’ ‘Well,’  I 
said,  ‘ I don’t  think  that  we  shall  have  any  steady  rain, 
but  I think  we  may  have  a heavy  shower  in  about  four 
days.’  (I  said  this  as  I had  observed  fleecy  clouds 
gathering  daily  in  the  afternoon.)  ‘Just  my  opinion,’ 
said  Katchiba,  delighted ; ‘ in  four,  or  perhaps  five  days, 
I intend  to  give  them  one  shower,  just  one  shower ; yes, 
I’ll  just  step  down  to  the  rascals  and  tell  them  that  if 
they  will  bring  me  some  goats  by  this  evening,  and  some 
corn  to-morrow  morning,  I will  give  them  in  four  or  five 
days  just  one  shower.’  To  give  effect  to  this  declara- 
tion, he  gave  three  toots  on  his  magic  whistle.  ‘ Do  you 
use  whistles  in  your  country?’  inquired  Katchiba.  I 
only  replied  by  giving  so  shrill  and  deafening  a whistle  on 
my  fingers  that  Katchiba  stopped  his  ears,  and  relapsed 
into  a smile  of  admiration.  He  took  a glance  at  the 
sky  from  the  doorway  to  see  if  any  sudden  effect  had 
been  produced.  ‘Whistle  again,’  he  said,  and  once 
more  I performed  like  the  whistle  of  a locomotive. 

‘ That  will  do,  we  shall  have  it,’  said  the  cunning  old 
rain-maker,  and  proud  of  having  so  knowingly  obtained 
< counsel’s  opinion  ’ in  his  case,  he  toddled  off  to  his  im- 
patient subjects.  In  a few  days  a sudden  storm  of  rain 


THE  EQUATORIAL  AFRICAN. 


335 


and  violent  thunder  added  to  Katchiba’s  renown,  and 
after  the  shower,  horns  were  blowing  and  nogaras  were 
beating  in  honor  of  their  chief.  Entre  nous , my  whis- 
tle was  considered  infallible.  ” 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


Cp^OHERE  is  no  hereditary  priesthood  among  negro 
1 7J  tribes.  The  successful  candidates  are  usually  men 
of  craft  and  cunning, or  noted  for  physical  pecu- 
larities.  Dwarfs  and  albinos  are  choice  priests.  In 
the  Congo  empire  are  three  priests  of  great  rank.  The 
first,  the  Chitome , is  greater  than  the  king  himself,  and 
each  new  king  must  lie  prostrate  before  him,  be  trampled 
upon,  and  swear  obedience,  ere  he  can  take  his  throne. 
Commonly  he  pays  very  roundly  for  even  such  recogni- 
tion as  that. 

The  Chitome  is  considered  the  father  of  his  peo- 
ple. The  first  fruits  are  brought  him  by  the  heads  of 
families.  He  has  a delicate  diet  of  choice  fish  and 
game.  He  holds  a court  of  the  priests  at  various  points 
for  settling  the  disputes.  When  he  leaves  his  house  to 
make  the  circuit,  “ criers  proclaim  the  fact  and  a fast  of 
continence  is  enjoined  till  he  returns.  Those  who  break 
this  law  (which  is  a most  severe  one  for  such  a people), 
are  instantly  condemned  to  death,  for  it  is  believed  that 
by  such  methods  they  preserve  the  life  of  their  common 
father.  In  such  cases,  only  the  man  being  punished, 
wives  who  are  tired  of  their  husbands  very  often  accuse 
them  of  an  imaginary  amour,  by  which  stratagem  they 
obtain  their  liberty  and  a reputation  for  virtue/’ 

(336/ 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


337 


Should  the  Chitome  die  a natural  death,  the  uni- 
verse would  be  destroyed.  So,  if  he  falls  dangerously 
ill,  his  elected  successor  beats  his  brains  out  with  a 
club,  or  strangles  him  with  a bow-string. 

The  priests  next  in  rank  are  the  nghombo,  or  fetish 
doctor,  who  must  always  walk  on  his  hands  when  in 
public,  and  the  mpindi,  or  rainmaker.  These  officers 
have  been  sufficiently  noticed  already.  No  priest  simi- 
lar to  the  Chitome  is  found  in  any  other  tribe  or  combi- 
nation of  tribes. 

As  in  all  savage  tribes,  much  deception  is  prac- 
ticed by  the  African  priesthood.  In  the  west  slave 
coast  and  neighboring  districts,  is  a species  of  serpent 
worship ; and  here  is  a common  imposition,  like  that 
which  Josephus  relates  as  having  caused  the  destruction 
of  the  temple  of  Isis  at  Eome.  The  priestesses  hold  a 
high  rank,  entering  the  service  of  the  temple  when  girls, 
and  becoming  nuns.  Arriving  at  womanhood,  they  are 
married  to  the  serpent ; that  is,  they  are  sold  by  the 
older  women  to  some  aristocratic  bidder.  A girl  is 
placed  in  a pit  with  two  or  three  serpents,  and  told  one 
of  these  will  be  changed  into  a man.  If  she  will  perform 
a religious  ceremony,  which  he  will  enjoin,  she  will  go  to 
the  happy  land  at  death,  and  be  rewarded  by  the  celes- 
tial serpent  for  her  docility  with  ineffable  ecstasies. 
The  old  women  are  acquainted  with  powerful  herbs ; but 
should  these  fail,  the  girl  is  secretly  destroyed. 

The  views  of  the  origin  of  man  are  various,  and 
mostly  without  interest,  save  for  the  comparative  my- 
thologist.  In  some  South  African  tribes  there  is  a be- 
lief that  man  sprang  up  in  a marshy  place,  and  a reed 
is  placed  over  the  door  to  denote  the  birth  of  a child.  Of 
the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  views  are  vague  and  con- 
flicting. Among  West  and  Central  Africans  is  a well  es- 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS.  330 

tablished  belief  in  the  soul,  and  in  transmigration  to 
higher  or  lower  forms,  according  to  the  deeds  done  in 
the  body.  But  in  East  and  South  Africa  many  tribes 
are  pronounced  materialists,  having  hardly  a religious 
idea  of  any  sort. 

Many  of  the  tribes  believing  in  the  existence  of  a 
soul  are  given  not  a little  to  ancestor-worship.  Among 
ihe  Ashantees  is  a custom  of  watering  the  graves  of 
their  ancestors.  A handsome  slave,  or  a prisoner  of 
war,  is  decked  with  ornaments,  paraded  through  the 
town,  and  exhibited  by  the  king  from  a platform.  The 
people  cry,  for  their  ancestors, 4 ‘Feed  us,  King,  for  we  are 
hungry ! ”•  The  victim  is  then  hewed  in  pieces,  and 
thrown  to  the  savage  hordes,  who  devour  the  fragments 
like  hungry  wolves.  It  is  a form  of  human  sacrifice, 
mingled  with  cannibalism,  reminding  one  of  the  fearful 
rites  and  feasts  of  the  Aztecs,  in  honor  of  their  war-god, 
Huitzilopochtli. 

Such  cases  have  occurred  occasionally  in  various 
parts  of  the  world,  in  time  of  national  distress.  But 
only  in  West  Africa  are  such  atrocious  performances  of 
common  occurrence.  Here  are  the  habitations  of  cruelty ; 
nowhere  in  the  world  are  more  horrible  atrocities  per- 
petrated than  in  the  Kingdom  of  Dahomey  and  Old 
Calabar.  All  West  Africans  are  degraded  enough,  but 
in  the  countries  named  there  is  attained  a degree  of 
fiendishness  elsewhere  unequaled.  Human  sacrifices 
are  common.  The  walls  which  surround  the  palace  of 
the  king  of  Dahomey  were  decorated  with  human  skulls, 
stuck  on  small  sticks.  “Six  thousand  heads  of  war 
captives  were  cut  off  for  the  purpose ; and  as  these  were 
found  to  be  insufficient,  an  order  was  given  to  chop  off 
as  many  as  were  needed,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  were  added  to  adorn  the  royal  walls,  and  protect 


34:0 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


the  palace.”  The  great  fetish  tree  at  Badagry  was  laden 
with  decaying  limbs  of  victims  whose  skulls  were 
heaped  around  the  base.  The  air  was  filled  with  the 
intolerable  stench,  while  thousands  of  vultures  fed  upon 
the  putrid  flesh.  Human  sacrifices  are  offered  in  the 
devil-houses.  The  victims  are  terribly  tortured  before 
they  are  killed.  An  Englishman  at  Coomassie  saw  the 
manner  in  which  one  victim  was  treated.  “His  arms 
were  pinioned  behind  him ; a knife  passed  through  his 
cheeks,  to  which  his  lips  were  noosed  like  the  figure 
eight ; one  ear  was  cut  off  and  carried  before  him ; the 
other  hung  by  a small  bit  of  skin ; there  were  several 
gashes  in  his  back,  and  a knife  thrust  under  each 
shoulder  blade ; he  was  led  with  a cord  passed  through 
his  nose  by  men  disfigured  with  immense  caps  of  shaggy 
black  skins,  and  a drum  beat  before  him.”  This  prac- 
tice of  thrusting  knives  through  the  cheeks  was  resorted  to 
in  order  to  prevent  their  cursing  the  king,  or  swearing 
the  death  of  any  person  on  whom  they  might  wish  ven- 
geance to  fall. 

When  a king  or  one  of  the  royal  family  died,  scores 
would  be  put  to  death.  In  1846,  the  son  of  the  king  of 
Calabar  took  an  active  part  in  a “ devil -making,”  drank 
plentifully  of  palm  wine,  and  died  that  night.  It  was 
supposed  that  he  was  poisoned.  His  mother  said,  as  she 
had  no  child  to  whom  she  could  leave  her  property,  that 
plenty  of  slaves  must  be  sacrificed.  All  who  heard  it 
in  time,  ran  away  and  hid  in  the  bush  that  they  might 
not-be  seized  as  victims  The  term  of  liability  is  one 
year. 

The  sacrifice  was  performed  thus : Three  holes 

were  dug  in  the  house.  Into  the  first  was  put  the  corpse 
and  thirty  young  female  slaves.  Into  the  second  were 
put  forty  male  slaves.  Into  the  third,  twenty  of  the 


FETISH  HOUSE , COOMASSIE. 


342 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


town  people.  The  holes  were  then  filled  in,  the  victims 
being  buried  alive. 

Of  late  years,  Mohammedanism  has  made  much 
progress  in  Africa,  especially  in  the  central  regions.  In 
the  northwest  and  the  eastern  portions,  it  has  flourished 
for  a long  period.  Negro  Mohammedans  are  not  of  the 
bigoted  or  strict  type  met  in  Turkey  or  Arabia.  Negro 
superstition  is  deeply  rooted,  and  to  compromise  with  the 
belief  in  fetishes,  the  people  wrear  gree-grees,  which  are 
texts  from  the  Koran  sewed  up  in  red  leather.  The  gree- 
grees  worn  by  other  Africans  are  of  various  sorts.  They 
are  universally  believed  to  protect  the  wearer  from  all 
manner  of  evil. 

Royalty,  it  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing,  seems 
almost  absolute.  The  despotic  tyranny  of  Mtesa  has  al- 
ready been  noticed.  He  is  hardly  a fair  specimen  of  the 
African  chief.  Another  notable  example  is  Matiamvo,  a 
powerful  chief  of  a nation  in  the  interior.  This  eminent 
philanthropist  was  harassed  with  continual  fears  lest  his 
people  grow  so  numerous  they  would  starve;  for  how 
much  of  the  world  was  there  worth  mentioning  outside 
his  own  realms  ? So  occasionally  a general  execution 
would' be  ordered,  to  keep  the  population  within  due 
bounds.  When  enraged,  our  enthusiastic  Malthusian 
would  catch  up  a weapon  and  dash  through  the  streets, 
striking  down  every  person  he  could  reach ; a convenient 
method  of  relieving  his  feelings  and  exercising  his  philan- 
thropic propensities  at  the  same  time. 

The  chief  usually  sends  his  people  to  war,  but  some- 
times one  of  unusual  boldness  leads  his  people.  Such 
readily  become  notorious.  One  of  those  best  known  to 
the  white  settlers  was  the  Zulu  chief  Chaka.  He  has 
been  called  the  Nero  and  the  Napoleon  of  Africa : a 
monster  in  cruelty  and  crime,  yet  a great  warrior  and 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


343 


conqueror.  He  commenced  his  career  by  murdering  his 
relatives  to  obtain  the  sovereignty.  As  soon  as  he  had 
succeeded,  he  murdered  all  those  he  thought  inimical  to 
him,  and  who  had  been  friends  to  his  relatives. 

Some  convulsion  among  the  northern  tribes,  proba- 
bly a pressure  from  excessive  population,  had  driven 
the  Zulus  to  the  southward,  and  they  came  down  like 
an  inundation,  sweeping  before  them  all  the  tribes  that 
'fell  in  their  path.  Chaka’s  force  consisted  of  nearly  one 
hundred  thousand  warriors,  of  whom  fifteen  thousand 
were  always  in  attendance  to  execute  his  orders.  In 
every  country  which  he  overran*  he  spared  neither  age 
nor  sex ; it  was  one  indiscriminate  slaughter. 

He  ruled  by  terror,  and  his  orders  met  with  im- 
plicit obedience.  To  make  his  army  invincible,  he  re- 
modeled it,  divided  it  into  two  companies  distinguished 
by  the  color  of  their  shields,  and  forbade  them  to  use 
any  other  weapon  but  a short  stabbing- spear ; so  that 
they  always  fought  at  close  quarters.  He  weeded  his 
army  by  picking  out  one  thousand  of  his  veteran  war- 
riors, who  had  gained  his  victories,  and  putting  them  to 
death.  Any  regiment  sent  out  to  battle,  if  they  were 
defeated,  were  instantly  destroyed  on  their  return;  it 
was  victory  or  death  with  them ; and  the  death  was  that 
of  impalement. 

His  tyranny  over  his  own  people  was  dreadful. 
On  one  occasion,  a child  annoyed  him ; he  ordered  it  to 
be  killed,  but  the  child  ran  among  seventy  or  eighty 
other  children,  and  could  not  be  distinguished ; so  he  or- 
dered the  whole  to  be  put  to  death.  He  murdered  two 
or  three  hundred  of  his  wives  in  one  day.  At  the  slight- 
est suspicion  he  would  order  out  his  chiefs  to  execution, 
and  no  one  knew  when  his  turn  might  come.  His  will 
was  law ; every  one  trembled  and  obeyed.  To  enter  in- 


344 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


to  a detail  of  all  his  cruelties,  would  fill  volumes ; it  will 
be  sufficient  to  mention  the  last  act  of  his  life.  His 
mother  died,  and  he  declared  that  she  had  perished  by 
witchcraft.  Hundreds  of  victims  were  impaled,  and, 
at  last,  tired  of  these  slow  proceedings,  he  ordered 
out  his  army  to  an  indiscriminate  slaughter  over  the 
whole  country,  which  lasted  for  fourteen  days. 

In  ability  and  courage,  Ohaka  was  an  exception. 
Most  African  chiefs  are  patterned  after  the  Yankee 
colonel  who,  leading  his  men  into  battle,  said  : “ Boys, 
yonder’s  the  enemy.  Hold  your  ground  till  your  pow- 
der’s out;  then  run.  I’m  a little  lame,  so  I’ll  start 
now.”  And  so  common  is  cowardice  that  the  very  sug- 
gestion of  the  approach  of  a bold  marauder  like  Miram- 
bo  or  the  Mazitu,  is  sufficient  to  create  a panic,  such  as 
often  seized  the  Saracens  in  the  days  of  Coeur  de  Leon, 
when  the  Moslem  was  wont  to  rebuke  his  startled  steed 
by  saying:  “Host  thou  think  King  Richard  is  in  the 
bush?” 

Every  sub- chieftain,  no  matter  how  high  his  rank, 
fully  realizes  how  frail  is  his  tenure  of  life  and  power. 
When  Stanley  visited  Mtesa,  the  prime  minister  was  a 
man  who  had  risen  rapidly  from  the  rank  of  a peasant. 
One  chieftain  after  another  had  he  supplanted.  He 
visited  Stanley  to  examine  the  white  man’s  marvels. 
When  shown  a bottle  of  laudanum,  and  told  its  proper- 
ties, he  said : “ Ah,  that  is  the  medicine  I wish.  Can 
you  not  spare  some  of  it  for  me  ? ” At  the  zenith  of  his 
newly  acquired  glory,  he  already  feared  the  beck  of  the 
“Lord  of  the  Cord  ” to  dishonor  and  death. 

But  it  must  not  be  concluded  from  such  facts  that 
the  African  chief  is  always  an  irresponsible  despot. 
There  is  much  buncombe  about  an  African  court. 
There  is  less  caprice  than  is  usually  believed.  Almost 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


345 


every  chief  lias  his  councilors.  And  not  often  is  it  safe 
to  act  contrary  to  their  opinion.  A man  may  be  con- 
demned in  secret  council  for  a grave  offense ; he  is  killed 
in  public  for  omitting  to  brush  away  a fly.  It  is  decided 
to  levy  a new  tax ; the  king  goes  out  and  his  hat  blows 
off ; the  people  are  fined  for  allowing  the  wind  to  blow. 
The  king  proves  unfit  to  rule,  or  obnoxious  to  his  people. 
Polite  warning  is  given.  Said  the  people  of  Akim  to 
one  of  their  kings  : “ The  king’s  subjects  feel  sure  that 

he  is  weary,  and  that  he  must  require  sleep.”  Seven 
days  he  drank,  sang  and  danced ; then  burnt  himself 
with  all  his  women — a negro  Sardanapalus. 

Yet  in  West  Africa  a peculiar  degree  of  reverence  is 
felt  for  royalty  in  general,  though  the  people  may  not 
have  much  respect  for  its  living  representative.  “ There 
is  a divinity  that  doth  hedge  a king.”  For  this  reason 
he  may  not  be  supposed  to  possess  any  of  the  common 
attributes  of  men.  Said  a trader  to  a native  of  Daho- 
mey: “Where  does  the  king  sleep?”  “ Where  does 

God  ? ” was  the  reply. 

Such  a people,  unlettered,  superstitious  and  forget- 
ful, can  have  no  correct  idea  or  outline  of  their  past 
history.  Being  cruel  and  bloodthirsty,  their  legends 
are  usually  of  the  grossest  type.  Some  of  their  best 
tales,  however,  show  strong  relationship  to  the  stories 
of  Brer  Babbit  and  Brer  Wolf,  which,  thanks  to  “Uncle 
Beams,”  have  become  so  famous  in  our  own  land. 
The  rabbit  is  replaced  in  African  tales  by  the  squirrel, 
or  the  ipi,  or  some  other  small  animal. 

Where  so  much  grossness  prevails  in  life  and 
thought,  it  is  decidedly  interesting  and  remarkable  to 
find  a legend  so  utterly  at  variance  with  the  daily  life 
and  imagery  of  the  people  as  the  following  one,  which 
is  current  among  the  Waganda.  Considered  in  connec- 


346 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


tion  with  the  character  of  the  people,  the  mythologist 
and  philosopher  would  find  in  it  food  for  reflection.  It 
reads  like  an  African  version  of  the  fall  of  man,  with 
the  difference  that  in  the  Waganda  tale  man  is  not 
driven  from  the  garden,  but  by  his  wickedness  drives 
away  his  maker  and  benefactor.  It  is  all  the  same : a 
dissociation  of  the  two. 

As  the  Waganda  have  no  very  definite  record  of 
time,  and  enumerate  a long  list  of  kings  as  having 
reigned  since  the  advent  of  the  patriach,  no  assignable 
date  can  be  given  the  legend,  which  in  the  long-con- 
tinued expectations  of  the  people,  and  the  character  of 
the  patriarch,  strongly  reminds  us  of  the  Aztec  legend 
of  Quetzalcoatl,  and  the  Peruvian  story  of  the  Inca 
Manco. 

All  Central  Africa  was  in  the  beginning  unin- 
habited. From  the  north  the  patriarch  Kintu  came  into 
Uganda,  bringing  with  him  his  wife,  one  cow,  one  goat, 
one  sheep,  one  hen,  one  banana  root,  and  one  sweet 
potato  plant. 

The  land  was  rapidly  peopled.  The  patriarch’s 
wife  brought  forth  four  children  at  a birth  each  year. 
Each  male  was  bom  with  a beard,  and  the  powers  of 
lusty  youth.  The  females  bore  children  at  two  years 
old.  The  forests  were  swiftly  cleared ; the  banana  and 
sweet  potato  multiplied  with  astonishing  rapidity.  The 
cow,  goat,  sheep  and  hen  were  no  less  fruitful. 

When  the  neighborhood  became  crowded,  Kintu 
gave  each  family  a portion  of  the  original  plants,  al- 
lowed each  to  choose  a home,*  and  hoped  to  live  in  peace 
among  his  people.  The  sweet  potato  growers  settled  in 
Unyoro,  the  banana  eaters  in  Uganda;  and  so  they 
dwell  to  this  day. 

The  shedding  of  blood  was  hateful  to  Kintu.  And 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


347 


it  was  so  that  when  any  man  was  to  be  executed  for 
murder,  if  he  could  make  his  way  to  Kintu’s  presence 
he  was  safe.  If  animals  were  to  be  killed  for  food,  they 
were  taken  far  from  his  house. 

But  when  the  patriarch  was  old,  his  children 
.•walked  not  after  his  ways,  but  made  themselves  drunken 
with  wine  from  the  banana,  and  debauched  themselves, 
committed  indecencies,  and  strove  with  one  another,  till 
the  land  stank  with  blood.  And  at  last  they  sought  to 
kill  Kintu,  their  father ; his  chidings  they  mocked,  and 
heeded  not. 

Then  Kintu  said : “ See,  my  sons  whom  I brought 
into  this  world  have  become  wicked,  and  hard  of  heart, 
and  they  threaten  to  drive  their  father  away,  or  kill  him, 
saying  he  is  old  and  useless.  I am  as  a hated  stranger 
amongst  my  own  children.  They  shed  the  blood  of 
their  brothers  daily,  and  there  is  nothing  but  killing  and 
bloodshed  now  till  I am  sick  of  blood.  Let  us  depart.” 
And  he  rose  up  in  the  night,  and  took  his  wife  and  his 
cow,  and  his  goat  and  sheep  and  chicken  and  banana 
root  and  sweet  potato,  and  departed. 

And  when  the  children  of  Kintu  knew  that  their 
father  was  gone,  they  were  much  grieved,  and  repented 
of  the  evil  which  they  had  done,  and  for  three  days  they 
sought  him  sorrowing ; but  they  found  him  not. 

And  when  they  saw  him  no  more,  Chwa,  the  first- 
born, did  sit  in  his  father’s  seat,  and  said,  “ Now  you, 
my  brothers,  be  good,  and  beware  of  my  spear ! ” And 
he  was  king.  And  Chwa  sought  for  his  father  to  the 
day  of  his  death ; but  he  found  him  not. 

And  after  Chwa,  his  son  Kamiera  sat  upon  the 
throne ; and  Kamiera  sought  also  for  Kintu  all  the  days 
of  his  life.  And  after  Kamiera,  was  Kimera,  the 
mighty  hunter ; there  was  none  like  him,  before  or  since. 


GORILLA  DANCE. 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


349 


And  Kimera  sought  for  Kintu  through  many  lands,  and 
sent  many  messengers  throughout  the  earth  +o  search 
for  Kintu,  and  offered  great  rewards,  even  to  the  half  of 
the  kingdom;  but  he  was  not  found. 

And  after  Kimera  many  kings  rose  up,  each  in  his 
day  and  generation,  and  did  seek  for  Kintu,  and  per- 
formed many  valorous  deeds : but  there  was  one  end  to 
them  all. 

And  after  many  generations  Ma’anda  sat  upon  the. 
throne  of  his  fathers.  And  Ma’anda  searched  through 
many  lands,  if  haply  he  might  hear  of  Kintu.  And  he 
went  often  to  the  chase,  but  his  heart  was  not  in  his 
sport. 

Now  it  fell  oift  on  a day  when  Ma’anda  was  re- 
turned from  the  chase,  that  a certain  poor  man  went 
into  the  forest  to  cut  wood.  And  being  wearied  he  fell 
asleep ; and  he  heard  a voice  saying,  “Go  to  a place  in 
this  forest  where  the  trees  are  very  thick,  around  an  open 
space  near  a stream  running  by,  and  you  shall  there  see 
that  which  will  give  you  great  wealth,  and  make  you  a 
great  chief.”  And  he  awoke,  and  behold,  it  was  a dream. 
And  he  slept,  and  the  voice  spake  unto  him  a second 
time;  and  he  awoke,  and  behold  it  was  a dream.  And  a 
third  time  he  slept,  and  again  the  voice  spake  unto 
him.  So  he  arose  out  of  his  sleep  and  went  whither  the 
voice' bade  him. 

And  when  he  was  come  nigh  the  place,  fear  fell 
upon  all  his  bones,  and  his  knees  smote  together ; but 
he  heard  naught,  save  only  the  sighing  of  the  wind. 
And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  behold,  a man  very  old 
and  venerable,  whose  beard  was  the  length  of  a cubit ; 
and  he  sat  upon  a throne,  and  was  clad  in  white  rai- 
ment, and  there  reclined  about  him  many  warriors, 


350 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


clothed  in  like  manner.  And  all  were  fair  to  look  upon, 
as  it  were  white  men. 

And  when  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne,  and  they 
that  were  with  him,  had  regarded  the  husbandman 
sternly  for  a good  while,  he  spoke  to  him  saying, 
“What  land  is  this?”  And  the  husbandman  knew  the 
voice  he  had  heard  in  his  dream  and  did  quake  exceed- 
ingly ; and  he  said,  “ Knowest  thou  not  ? It  is  Uganda.” 
And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne  spake,  saying,  “ Who 
was  the  first  king  ? ” And  the  husbandman  made 
answer,  “Kintu.”  Then  said  the  old  man,  “Thou  say- 
est  true.  But  who  reigneth  to-day  in  Uganda?”  And 
the  husbandman  said,  “Ma’anda.”  And  he  upon  the 
throne  bade  him  hasten  to  Ma’anda  saying,  “As  thou 
hast  long  searched  for  Kintu,  Kintu  is  come  hither  to 
meet  thee ; now  therefore  come  hither ; but  see  that  no 
one  come  with  thee,  save  only  thy  mother  and  the  mes- 
senger; for  Kintu  hath  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee.” 
And  the  husbandman  made  haste  and  departed. 

And  that  night  King  Ma’anda  was  troubled  in  his 
sleep,  and  saw  a man  come  with  tidings  to  him : and 
he  awoke,  and  it  was  a dream.  And  when  the  morning 
was  come,  he  spoke  to  his  mother  saying,  “After  such 
a manner  dreamed  I.” 

And  while  he  was  yet  speaking,  his  chief  counselor 
entered  and  said,  “There  is  a man  at  the  gate  who  hath 
somewhat  to  say  unto  thee  privily.”  And  when  he  was 
come  in,  the  king  said,  “This  is  he  whom  I saw  in  my 
dream.”  And  he  commanded  every  man  to  go  out  from 
him,  and  set  guards  at  the  outer  gate.  And  when  he 
had  heard  the  husbandman,  he  said,  “ Come,  let  us  go ; 
for  so  the  old  man  said.”  And  he  arose,  he,  and  his 
mother,  and  the  husbandman,  and  went  away  privily. 

And  it  was  told  the  chief  counselor,  “The  king 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS, 


351 


and  his  mother  are  gone  away  stealthily  with  a strange 
man.”  And  when  he  had  considered  the  matter,  he 
feared  treason.  He  arose  and  followed  after  the  king 
secretly  lest  evil  befall  him ; but  the  king  knew  it  not. 
And  when  they  had  journeyed  for  a day  and  a half, 
the  drew  nigh  to  the  place. 

And  when  they  were  come,  behold  the  old  man  and 
the  warriors ; even  as  the  husbandman  had  left  them,  so 
seemed  they.  And  the  old  man  asked,  “Who  art 
thou?”  And  the  king  answered,  “l  am  Ma’anda.” 
And  again  said  the  old  man,  “Art  thou  the  king?’’ 
And  he  said,  “I  am.”  And  the  old  man  said,  “Who 
is  this  with  thee?”  And  Ma’anda  answered,  “It  is  my 
mother.  ” 

And  the  man  said,  “It  is  well;  but  why  did  ye 
not  as  I commanded  ? Why  came  ye  not  alone  ? ” And 
Ma’anda  said,  “We  have  so  done.  There  are  but  this 
husbandman  and  my  mother  with  me ; for  our  depart- 
ure was  not  known.”  And  the  man  said,  “ Tell  me, 
who  was  he  that  came  after  thee  ? for  I have  seen  him.” 
And  Ma’anda  spake  yet  again,  saying,  “ No  man  hath 
come  after  me ; for  I have  looked  behind  me  both  yester- 
day and  to-day,  and  no  man  followed.” 

Then  said  the  man,  “Who  was  the  first  king  of 
Uganda?”  And  Ma’anda  answered,  “Kintu.”  And  the 
old  man  said,  “ Thou  sayest  truly.  And  Kintu  was 
good,  and  injured  not  any  living  thing.  No  man  did 
he  strike  or  inflict  pain  upon  in  any  way ; for  as  a kind 
father  loved  hq  .his  children.  But  his  sons  were  evil, 
and  made  themselves  vile,  and  walked  not  after  his 
commandments;  for  they  loved  to  shed  blood.  And 
when  they  had  learned  to  slay  beasts,  they  turned  their 
hands  against  their  fellows,  even  their  own  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  sought  also  to  slay  their  father  Kintu.  And 


352 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


Kintu  saw  that  the  goodly  land,  even  Uganda,  his  de- 
light, was  become  vile  and  filthy  with  the  blood  of  the 
innocent ; and  the  land  was  hateful  to  Kintu,  and  he 
departed.  And  from  Chwa  unto  Ma’anda  all  have  sought 
for  Kintu,  but  they  found  him  not.  But  thou,  Ma’anda, 
shalt  see  Kintu  and  speak  with  him,  face  to  face  • yet 
first  I have  somewhat  to  tell  thee  from  him — but  tell 
me,  who  was  he  that  followed  thee  hither  ? ” 

Now  Ma’anda  was  pleased  when  lie  heard  that  he 
had  found  favor  in  the  sight  of  Kintu,  but  he  was  angry 
that  the  old  man  said  to  him  the  third  time,  “Who  fol- 
lowed thee  hither?”  And  he  answered,  “Why  askest 
thou  again,  when  I have  told  thee  no  man  followed,  be- 
cause no  men  knew  whither  I went?”  And  the  obi 
man  answered,  “But  I saw  a man  follow  thee,  step  by 
step.  Why  didst  thou  let  him  come,  when  I forbade 
thee?”  And  the  king’s  mother  and  husbandman  de- 
clared that  no  man  had  followed.  And  the  old  man  said, 
“Behold,  he  listeneth  behind  yonder  tree.” 

And  when  the  chief  counselor  saw  that  he  was 
known,  he  came  forth ; and  when  Ma’anda  saw  him,  he 
was  filled  with  fury,  and  lifted  up  his  spear  and  smote 
his  faithful  servant ; and  he  cried  out,  and  fell  dead  at 
the  king’s  feet. 

But  when  they  turned,  the  old  man  and  his  fellows 
were  vanished,  and  there  was  no  trace  remaining ; and 
when  they  called,  there  was  neither  voice  nor  hearing. 
And  Ma’anda  and  they  that  were  with  him  fell  upon 
their  faces  on  the  earth,  and  cried  exceedingly,  and  lay 
there  all  that  night;  and  the  woods  gave  back  their 
wailing,  and  answered  them  “Kintu,  Kintu-u-u  ! ” but 
none  heeded  their  voice.  And  Kintu  nevermore  appeared 
in  Uganda,  neither  has  any  man  seen  him  to  this  day. 

Such  is  the  story,  told  briefly,  and  in  simplest  way. 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


353 


What  may  be  the  origin  of  the  legend  is  a matter  of 
conjecture.  Certainly,  such  a tale  was  never  invented 
by  a bloody  and  rapacious  people  for  mere  amusement. 
The  savage  is  not  entertained  by  such  a character  as 
that  portrayed.  It  is  of  very  great  antiquity ; for  the 
Waganda  traditions  preserve  the  names  of  twenty-seven 
kings  between  Kintu  and  Ma’anda.  Doubtless  many 
more  have  been  forgotten.  It  is  not  probable  that  any 
have  been  interpolated ; savages  are  not  given  to  invent- 
ing themselves  a history.  Stanley  suggests  Kintu  may 
have  been  Noah,  or  Adam.  Kimera  readily  suggests 
Nimrod.  But  till  the  researches  of  missionaries  give 
more  light,  it  must  remain  what  it  is,  a beautiful  myth 
of  a savage  land ; a jewel  of  gold  in  a swine’s  snout. 

It  may  be  said,  in  passing,  that  there  are  some 
points  of  resemblance  between  it  the  Indian  myth  of 
the  famous  pitch  lake  in  the  island  of  Trinidad.  The 
story  is  that  the  Great  Spirit  made  the  island  very 
beautiful,  and  placed  his  children,  the  Chaymas,  upon  it. 
Great  peace  and  plenty  was  theirs,  till  they  became 
wanton  and  cruel ; then  the  Great  Spirit  left  them. 
When  they  wantonly  killed  the  humming  birds  for  mere 
sport,  the  Great  Spirit  endured  no  longer,  and  sunk  the 
village  into  the  earth,  causing  pitch  to  overflow  it ; a 
fate  like  that  of  Sodom,  or  Atlantis.  The  same  idea  is 
in  all,  though  carried  to  its  most  extreme  point  in  the 
Indian  legend.  There  is  no  great  variation  in  man’s 
inner  nature. 

In  dress,  or  rather  in  undress,  there  is  much  variety 
among  African  tribes.  In  most,  the  children  go  naked ; 
in  a few  South  African  tribes  they  wear  kilts  of  cow- 
skin.  Certain  tribes  in  Manyuema  go  naked  at  all 
ages.  Much  the  same  is  the  fashion  of  some  tribes  of 
the  Upper  Nile  : the  Shooas  and  Madis.  Among  them, 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


355 


however,  such  women  as  happen  to  be  prudes,  will  wear 
a string  around  the  abdomen,  from  which  depends,  in 
front,  a small  branch,  or  bunch  of  leaves.  Every  bush 
affords  these  Eves  a clean  pinafore. 

Most  tribes  wear  more  or  less  of  cloth  around  the 
loins;  but  the  quality,  cleanliness,  and  arrangement 
vary.  The  Waganda,  especially  the  better  class,  have 
adopted  much  of  the  Arab  dress,  but  wearing  no  turban. 

Because  the  African  is  averse  to  much  dress,  it 
must  not  be  concluded  he  has  no  idea  of  ornament. 
Quite  the  reverse.  No  people  are  so  given  to  frippery 
and  “gewgaws.  ” Tattooing  is  comparatively  rare,  as  it 
costs  more  pain  and  trouble  than  the  average  African 
will  endure  for  any  object.  But  beads,  brass,  sea-shells, 
ostrich  feathers,  teeth,  claws,  paint,  ivory,  bits  of  wood 
—all  these  are  essentials  to  the  African  dandy,  whether 
his  actual  clothing  be  abundant  or  scanty.  In  addition 
many  tribes  practice  filing  a great  notch  in  their  upper 
teeth ; others  thrust  great  pieces  of  wood  through  the 
lobes  of  the  ears ; others  thrust  a skewer  through  the 
nose,  or  make  a great  hole  in  either  lip  and  insert  a 
ring  or  a block  of  wood,  which  causes  the  lip  to  protrude 
two  inches.  Each  to  his  taste.  When  in  full  undress, 
or  dancing  a war  or  fetish  dance,  the  African  is  in  the 
zenith  of  his  glory ; and  he  is  not  disposed  to  hide  his 
candle  under  a bushel.  A French  traveler  found  a 
chief  of  a petty  tribe  of  the  far  interior,  tricked  out 
with  a little  cheap  cast-off  finery  of  a white  man,  seated 
on  a tusk  of  ivory,  and  surrounded  by  a few  naked 
guards.  Flattered  that  the  white  man  had  come  so  far 
to  see  him,  the  great  man  asked,  “ Do  they  talk  much 
of  me  in  France  ? ” 

But  though  given  to  gaudy  ornamention,  most 
Africans  have  no  idea  whatever  of  cleanliness. 


356 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


Beade,  at  a dinner  party  in  Senegambia,  was  astonished 
at  the  rapidity  with  which  his  waiter  provided 
clean  plates.  He  turned  and  found  the  “dirty  little 
nigger”  behind  him  cleaning  them  with  his  tongue. 
Stanley’s  first  cook,  if  told  a teaspoon  were  dirty, 
considered  that  the  application  of  some  saliva,  and  a rub 
on  his  greasy  loin-cloth,  was  sufficient  to  appease  the 
most  fastidious.  Sir  Samuel  and  Lady  Baker  had  a 
waiter  of  the  same  stamp.  The  flies  were  troublesome. 
Said  Baker,  “ Don’t  let  the  flies  drown  in  the  coffee.” 
The  boy  ladled  them  out  with  his  fingers.  He  was  told 
to  always  use  a teaspoon.  Next  morning  at  breakfast 
he  picked  up  a teaspoon  from  the  table,  carefully  re- 
moved some  flies  from  an  humble  vessel  never  intended 
to  be  used  in  connection  with  a teaspoon,  and  replaced 
the  spoon  upon  the  table.  He  had  imagined  his  orders 
were  merely  to  rescue  perishing  flies.  That  such  peo- 
ple are  filthy  in  house  and  habit,  and  that  their  ill-ven- 
tilated grass  huts  reek  with  odors  not  of  Araby,  goes 
without  saying.  Why  should  the  native  trouble  himself  ? 
It  costs  an  effort  to  be  cleanly.  Laziness  is  bound  up 
in  the  heart  of  an  African,  and  the  rod  of  correction 
will  not  drive  it  very  far  from  him. 

Modes  of  salutation  are  various,  differing  accord- 
ing to  the  tribes.  The  Babwende  speak  pleasantly, 
seat  themselves,  and  then  begin  grinding  their  teeth  as 
if  in  a rage.  One  form  is  certainly  peculiar.  An  Eng- 
lish traveler,  introduced  to  a strange  tribe  of  the  Nile 
region,  was  seated,  waiting  for  the  chief.  The  latter 
sion  appeared,  seized  the  white  man’s  hand,  and  depos- 
ited therein  a liberal  quantity  of  saliva ; and  before  the 
white  man  could  recover  from  his  astonishment,  did 
likewise  to  his  face.  Our  traveler  sprang  up  in  a rage, 
out  at  once  caught  the  meaning  of  the  act,  and  did  like- 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS . 


357 


wise.  The  sable  Chesterfield  was  enraptured  by  the  de- 
cided fervor  with  which  his  compliment  was  returned. 

We  have  already  seen  that  cannibalism  is  very 
common  in  Central  Africa.  Where  noticed  in  Ashantee 
and  Dahomey,  it  appears  merely  as  a part  of  religious 
ceremonies  : not  as  a food  habit  of  the  people.  It  does 
not  exist,  so  far  as  present  knowledge  goes,  in  the  east- 
ern portion  of  the  continent.  Only  the  Central  Africans 
openly  avow  the  practice.  In  Manyuema  the  people  do 
not  directly  acknowledge  it.  Toward  the  west  coast  each 
tribe  will  usually  accuse  the  neighboring  ones  of  indul- 
gence in  the  practice,  but  profess  to  be  free  from  it 
themselves.  It  is  well-established  that  cannibalism, 
either  sacrificial  or  gourmandizing,  has  in  one  age  or 
another  been  common  in  almost  every  portion  of  the 
world.  Don’t  laugh,  friend  Saxon.  Your  Druid  ances- 
tors were  never  surpassed  in  cruel  human  sacrifices ; for 
they  filled  vast  wicker  images  with  living  people  and 
burned  them  to  the  ground.  And  you,  sturdy  Scot,  may 
learn  from  St.  Jerome  how  your  pagan  fathers  were 
wont  to  scatter  the  Briton’s  sheep  and  eat  the  shepherd, 
deeming  the  haunch  of  a man  and  the  breast  of  a 
woman  the  choicest  dainties  of  their  feasts.  And  the 
gentle  lady  reader  who  shudders  over  these  pages  will 
read  with  ardor  details  in  the  dailies  that  would  shock 
the  tender  susceptibilities  of  a Manyuema  cannibal. 
Each  to  his  fancy. 

Most  Africans  are  decidedly  fond  of  holding  court 
or  council.  Little  can  be  done  without  a shauri,  or  con- 
sultation. This  is  partly  the  result  of  mere  sociability, 
and  partly  from  a general  lack  of  independence  of 
action.  All  savages  are  slaves  of  precedent.  The  en- 
terprising trader  who  introduced  the  wheelbarrow 
to  supplant  the  native  habit  of  carrying  articles  upon 


358 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


the  head,  found  that  the  conservative  natives  placed  the 
articles  in  the  wheelbarrow,  and  carried  the  whole  as  be- 
fore. So  the  negro  consults  that  he  may  have  com- 
pany ; not  to  discern  the  best  course,  as  the  Indian  does. 

Like  the  Indian,  he  has  no  little  native  eloquence. 
Moffat  records  the  speech  of  his  guide  upon  one  occa- 
sion. Having  asked  the  meaning  of  some  ruins  at  the 
base  of  a hill,  the  man  arose,  and  with  tragic  air  and 
gesture,  spoke  like  an  Ossian. 

“I,  even  I,  beheld  it,”  he  said.  Then,  after  a 
pause,  as  if  in  deep  tb  ght,  went  on  : “ There  lived  the 
great  chief  of  multitudes.  He  reigned  among  them 
like  a king.  He  was  the  chief  of  the  blue-colored  cat- 
tle. They  were  numerous  as  the  dense  mist  on  the 
mountain’s  brow;  his  flocks  covered  the  plain.  He 
thought  the  number  of  his  warriors  would  awe  his  ene- 
mies. His  people  boasted  in  their  spears,  and  laughed 
at  the  cowardice  of  such  as  fled  from  their  towns.  4 1 
shall  slay  them  and  hang  up  their  shields  on  my  hill. 
Our  race  is  a race  of  warriors.  Who  ever  subdued 
our  fathers?  They  were  mighty  in  combat.  We  still 
possess  the  spoils  of  ancient  times.  Have  not  our  dogs 
eaten  the  shields  of  their  nobles  ? The  vultures  shall 
devour  the  slain  of  our  enemies.’  Thus  they  sang,  and 
thus  they  danced,  until  we  beheld  on  yonder  heights  the 
approaching  foe. 

44  The  noise  of  their  songs  was  hushed  in  night  and 
their  hearts  were  filled  with  dismay.  They  saw  the 
cloud  ascend  from  the  plains.  It  was  the  smoke  of 
burning  towns.  The  confusion  of  a whirlwind  was  in 
the  heart  of  the  great  chief  of  the  blue-colored  cattle. 
The  shout  was  raised,  4 They  are  friends !’  but  they 
shouted  again,  4 They  are  foes  !’  till  their  near  approach 
proclaimed  them  naked  Matabeles.  The  men  seized 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


359 


their  arms  and  rushed  out  as  if  to  the  chase  of  the  ante- 
lope. The  onset  was  as  the  voice  of  the  lightning,  and 
their  spears  as  the  shaking  of  the  forest  in  the  autumn 
storm.  The  Matabele  lions  raised  the  shout  of  death 
and  flew  upon  their  victims.  It  was  the  shout  of  victory. 
Their  hissing  and  hollow  groans  told  their  progress 
among  the  dead.  A few  moments  laid  hundreds  on  the 
ground.  The  clash  of  shields  was  the  signal  of  triumph. 
Our  people  fled  with  the  cattle  to  the  top  of  yonder 
mount.  The  Matabeles  entered  the  town  with  the  roar 
of  a lion ; they  pillaged  and  h.  A the  houses,  speared 
the  mothers  and  threw  the  children  in  the  flames.  The 
sun  went  down.  The  rioters  emerged  from  the  smoking 
plain  and  pursued  their  course,  surrounding  the  base  of 
yonder  hill.  They  slaughtered  cattle ; they  danced  and 
sang  till  the  dawn  of  day ; they  ascended  and  killed  till 
their  hands  were  weary  of  the  spear.’’  Stooping  down  to 
the  ground  the  speaker  took  up  a little  dust,  and  holding  it 
out  in  the  palm  of  his  hand,  then  blowing  it  off,  he  said, 
“ That  is  all  that  remains  of  the  great  chief  of  the  blue- 
colored  cattle.” 

In  Africa  marriage  is  upon  an  entirely  different 
basis  from  that  in  most  lands.  In  Semitic  and  Aryan 
races,  the  wife  is  usually  expected  to  bring  a dowry  to 
her  husband ; but  woman  is  in  Africa  a valuable  piece 
of  merchandise.  A man  wanting  a wife  must  buy  her 
outright.  The  parent  with  a houseful  of  daughters  is  on 
the  highroad  to  wealth.  But  as  alliance  with  royal 
blood  is  always  desirable  in  all  lands,  many  a parent 
makes  an  outright  present  of  his  daughter  to  the  chief 
or  king,  often  to  the  serious  disappointment  of  many  a 
dusky  Oscar. 

In  the  Congo  kingdom  the  king  has  especial  rights. 
He  may  take  any  woman  as  a concubine  or  wife.  Her 


360 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


husband  is  put  to  death;  likewise  all  her  lovers,  she 
being  compelled  to  reveal  their  names.  But  this  usually 
merely  affords  her  an  opportunity  to  get  rid  of  persons 
obnoxious  to  her,  as  in  case  of  denial  the  woman’s  word 
is  considered  as  more  reliable  than  the  man’s. 

The  marriage  ceremony  varies  with  the  tribe.  The 
details  are  not  of  special  interest.  In  most  cases  the 
bridegroom  is  expected  to  feast  his  friends  for  a time, 
but  this  is  not  more  expensive  than  the  average  Ameri- 
can bridal  tour.  However,  in  the  end  the  bride  pays 
expenses,  as  she  is  expected  to  earn  a living  for  her  lord. 

Polygamy  is  prevalent  among  those  who  can  afford 
it.  It  is  practiced  largely  as  a display  of  wealth.  The 
first  wife  rules  the  house,  the  others  being  her  assistants 
in  hating  their  common  husband.  So  far  from  hinder- 
ing him  from  taking  more  wives,  most  Central  and  West 
African  women  prefer  it,  and  call  him  a stingy  fellow  if 
he  does  not.  Jealousy  is  a comparatively  useless  word 
with  them. 

Few  West  African  women  long  retain  their  comeli- 
ness ; most  are  wrinkled  and  haggish  at  thirty  years  old. 
Girlhood  is  a comparatively  careless  and  happy  season. 
Ere  middle  life  is  reached  you  have  a hag  with  pendent 
breasts,  bleared  eyes,  and  hideous  yellow  teeth,  with 
features  of  an  ape ; a wretched,  toiling  slave,  beaten  by 
the  man  whose  savage  passions  have  drained  her  of  her 
youth  and  beauty  before  her  time. 

The  moial  standard  would  be  difficult  to  define. 
In  Ashantee,  /Dahomey,  and  the  Congo  kingdom,  adul- 
tery is  punishable  with  death.  And  only  in  these  king- 
doms does  the  social  evil  exist  as  a legalized  institution. 
The  vice  will  maintain  itself  in  some  form.  As  in 
more  advan  ced  races,  professional  prostitution  is  to  a 
certain  extent  alternative  with  marital  unfaithfulness. 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


361 


Where  the  standard  of  family  morals  is  low,  the  social 
evil  is  hardly  legally  known.  This  is  a natural  result ; 
for  an  advanced  race  notices  and  endeavors  to  limit  both 
evils ; the  lower  standard  takes  no  cognizance  of  either. 

In  the  bush  tribes  of  West  Africa  women  may  not 
marry  a second  time.  In  consequence,  the  harlots  are 
principally  widows ; their  earnings  go  to  their  brothers. 
In  Northern  Guinea  harlots  are  the  property  of  the 
government,  which  takes  their  earnings  and  gives  them 
support.  In  times  of  public  disturbance  they  are 
sequestrated,  as  we  close  saloons  on  election  days.  Rich 
negro  ladies  sometimes  bequeath  slaves  to  the  public  as 
an  act  of  charity,  believing  the  evil  a social  safety-valve. 

In  certain  western  tribes  the  only  check  on  con- 
jugal unfaithfulness  is  a belief  that  if  a woman  commits 
an  infidelity  before  the  new  shift  presented  her  by  her 
husband  at  marriage  is  worn  out,  the  devil  will  run 
away  with  her.  Most  are  faithful  that  long,  but  it 
is  not  uncommon  to  see  a woman  pounding  her  shift  be- 
tween two  stones.  When  it  is  worn  out,  she  is  free  to 
do  as  she  likes.  There  is  in  this  regulation  a contrast 
to  the  old  Roman  law  which  gave  a husband  power  of 
life  and  death  over  his  wife  if  she  remained  under  his 
roof  an  entire  year  consecutively;  and  the  Roman 
women  were  wont  in  consequence  to  spend  a few  days 
in  each  year  with  a friend,  that  they  might  always  be 
able  to  assert  their  own  rights  and  privileges. 

As  affording  light  upon  the  comparative  freedom 
of  Caucasian  and  Negro  women,  the  following  dialogue 
between  an  English  traveler,  Mr.  Reade,  and  an  Afri- 
can princess  will  be  of  interest.  Doubtless  it  will  afford 
no  little  consolation  to  the  downtrodden  and  oppressed 
women  of  our  own  land  to  know  that  the  enlightened 
African  pities  their  forlorn  condition. 


COUNCIL  OF  WAR 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS 


368 


“ One  day  Ananga  came  into  my  house  with  a pipe 
in  her  mouth.  I snatched  it  from  her  furiously.  She 
called  Mafuk,  who  usually  acted  as  our  interpreter,  and 
said  gently  that  she  would  not  smoke  if  I disliked  it ; 
but  how  was  it  offensive  to  me?  She  had  seen  her 
my  father  smoking  in  my  presence  without  my  appearing 
to  be  annoyed. 

“ I said  that  it  was  proper  for  men  to  smoke,  but 
that  it  was*  not  proper  for  women  to  smoke. 

“She  glanced  superciliously  at  my  clothes,  and  asked 
whether  that  was  another  fashion  of  my  country.  I re- 
plied that  it  was.  She  asked  me  why  it  was  not  con- 
sidered proper  for  women  to  smoke  in  my  country. 

4 4 1 said  that  there  were  very  good  reasons. 

44  4 Ah!’ she  cried,  clapping  her  hands,  4 1 know 
why.  Tobacco  is  very  dear  in  your  country,  so  you  will 
not  give  any  to  your  wives/ 

44 1 assured  her,  with  some  indignation,  that  she  was 
mistaken.  4 In  our  country,’  I said,  4 the  women  have  the 
same  rights  as  the  men/ 

4 4 4 Then  why  do  they  not  smoke  tobacco  ? ’ 

44  4 Because  they  do  not  like  it,’  I said,  desperately. 

44  4 Then  if  they  like  tobacco,  they  can  smoke  it/ 
continued  the  inexorable  Ananga. 

“ 4 No/  said  I ; 4 the  men  in  our  country  know  that 
tobacco  is  not  good  for  women,  and  that  they  would  not 
like  it,  so  they  make  a law  that  no  woman  shall  smoke 
it/ 

44  Ananga  shook  her  little  head. 

44  4 If  women  try  it,  they  like  it,’  she  said.  ‘You  do 
not  let  them  try  it,  because  you  fear  they  like  it.  Dirt 
is  not  good  to  eat ; you  do  not  make  a law  that  no 
women  eat  dirt.  Tobacco  is  good  to  smoke,  so  you  make 
a law  that  women  do  not  smoke  tobacco.  I should  not 


364 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


like  to  go  to  your  country.  I think  the  women  work 
very  hard  there.’ 

44  4 Oh  no,’  said  I,  brightening  up  ; 4 a fine  lady  in  my 
country  has  no  work  to  do  at  all.  You  are  the  daughter 
of  a king,  but  you  have  to  beat  up  food  and  cook  your 
father’s  dinner.  In  my  country  the  servants  do  all  that, 
and  the  fine  lady  has  plenty  of  money,  and  beautiful 
clothes,  and  can  have  her  hair  dressed  all  day  long  if  she 
likes.’  4 Eh  !’ cried  Ananga,  clasping  her  hands;  ‘that 
country  of  yours  is  a fine  place.  If  I was  a fine  lady 
there,  I would  take  my  canoe  and  slaves,  and  go  where  I 
pleased,  and  not  ask  leave  of  my  father.’ 

44  4 No,’  said  I,  4 our  fine  ladies  can  not  do  that. 
They  must  not  go  out  alone.’ 

4 4 4 Why  not  ?’ 

44 1 was  puzzled  again.  How  could  she  understand 
these  refinements  of  decorum  ? I could  only  reply  that 
it  was  a fashion  of  my  country. 

44  4 Ah,  ’ said  Ananga,  curling  her  lip,  4 1 see  the 
fashion  of  your  country.  You  keep  your  women  like 
slaves,  for  fear  they  run  away  to  the  Bush  and  smoke 
tobacco.’  ” 

So  it  appears  our  little  eccentricities  are  as  inex- 
plicable to  the  African  as  his  are  to  us.  And  we  can 
obtain  no  better  view  of  him  than  by  allowing  him  to 
take  our  measure.  Consider  this  song  of  the  Bushmen 
concerning  the  white  man  : 

44  In  the  blue  palace  of  the  deep  sea 
Dwells  a strange  creature: 

His  skin  as  white  as  salt; 

His  hair  long  and  tangled  as  the  sea-weed. 

He  is  more  great  than  the  princes  of  the  earth; 

He  is  clothed  with  the  skins  of  fishes, 

Fishes  more  beautiful  than  birds. 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


365 


His  house  is  built  of  brass  rods 
His  garden  is  a forest  of  tobacco. 

On  his  soil  white  beads  are  scattered 
Like  sand-grains  on  the  sea-shore.” 

It  will  be  seen  these  people  deem  the  white  man 
very  wealthy.  But  it  is  doubtful  if  Queen  Victoria 
would  pass  muster  with  the  African  chieftain  in  general. 
One  of  these  dusky  aristocrats  asked  a traveler  if  the 
queen  had  many  cows ; the  answer  convinced  him  that 
she  could  not  be  nearly  so  important  and  influential  as 
himself. 

Civilization  is  stereotyped  in  clothing — such  is  our 
view.  The  African  deems  our  clothing  a sign  of  bar- 
barism, till  by  long  association  his  ideas  are  changed. 
This  conversation  between  Reade  and  an  African  prin- 
cess who  had  never  before  seen  a white  man  will  en- 
lighten us  as  to  certain  of  our  defects. 

<•  One  day  Ananga  reproached  me  for  being  artificial. 
What  made  me  wear  so  many  clothes?  she  asked, 
with  inexpressible  scorn.  I replied  that  it  was  one  of 
the  foolish  fashions  of  my  country.  And  was  it  a fashion 
of  my  country,  she  asked,  to  wear  the  hair  of  a wild 
beast  on  my  head,  and  to  paint  my  face  white  ? On  my 
replying  that  Njambi  had  thought  fit  to  create  me  with 
these  deformities,  she  uttered  a cry  of  derision,  and 
taking  hold  of  my  hair  pulled  it  severely.  When  it  did 
not  come  out  her  eyes  dilated,  and  she  looked  at  me  in 
stupefaction.  Then,  wetting  her  fingers,  she  rubbed  my 
cheek  with  it,  and  fled  in  terror  to  my  interpreters. 
They  laughed  at  her  uproariously,  and  she  came  back 
in  a shamefaced  manner,  and  sat  beside  me  without 
speaking.” 

After  this  we  are  not  surprised  that  white  men 
should  be  regarded  with  as  great  curiosity  as  Crowley,  the 


366 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


chimpanzee,  was  in  our  land.  Remember  Stanley 
among  the  Manyuema  and  compare  with  Reade  among 
the  Fans : 

“Here  stood  two  men,  with  their  hands  upon  each 
other’s  shoulders,  staring  at  me  in  mute  wonder,  their 
eyes  like  saucers,  their  mouths  like  open  sepulchers. 
There  an  old  woman,  in  a stooping  attitude,  with  her 
hands  on  her  knees,  like  a cricketer  4 fielding  out  ;*  a 
man  was  dragging  up  his  frightened  wife  to  look  at  me, 
and  a child  cried  bitterly  with  averted  eyes 

I then  remembered  that  in  my  petticoated  days  a 
certain  negress  used  to  haunt  the  same  localities  as  my 
nursemaid.  Nothing  could  have  struck  me  with  more 
horror  than  the  sight  of  this  melanous  but  innocent-in- 
tentioned  female.  I had  art  instincts  within  me  even 
then.  I would  have  dreams  of  beautiful  angels,  in 
evening  dresses,  who  took  me  on  their  laps  and  kissed 
me;  and  sometimes  of  this  horrible  woman,  with  her 
sooty  skin,  her  crisp  hair,  her  thick,  ugly  lips,  when  I 
would  wake  up  too  frightened  to  even  cry,  with  my 
small  body  in  a cold  sweat.  But  now  the  tables  were  com- 
pletely turned.  I found  myself  looked  upon  as  a strik- 
ing likeness  of  their  Evil  Spirit,  who  is  said  to  be  white, 
and  to  be  dressed  in  unknown  garments,  as  ours  is  said 
to  be  black  and  not  to  be  dressed  at  all.  So  when  I ap- 
peared in  a Bush  village,  the  women  and  children  fled 
from  me  with  tears,  and  the  dogs  with  dismal  howls, 
not  knowing  how  to  bark. 

“ After  the  Fans  had  taken  the  edge  off  their  curi- 
osity, and  had  dispersed  a little,  I rose  to  enjoy  my 
evening  promenade.  All  stared  at  me  with  unceasing 
wonder.  That  a man  should  walk  backward  and  for- 
ward with  no  fixed  object  is  something  which  the  sloth- 
ful negro  can  not  understand,  and  which  appears  to 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


367 


him  rather  the  action  of  a wild  beast  than  of  a human 
being. 

“ It  was  not  long  before  they  contrived  to  conquer 
their  timidity.  I observed  two  or  three  girls  whispering 
to  each  other  and  looking  at  me.  Presently  I felt  an 
inquisitive  finger  laid  on  my  coat,  and  heard  the  sound 
of  bare  feet  running  away.  I remained  in  the  same 
position.  Then  one  bolder  than  the  rest  approached 
me,  and  spoke  to  me,  smiling.  I assumed  as  amiable  an 
expression  as  nature  would  permit,  and  touched  my  ears 
to  show  that  I did  not  understand.  At  this  they  had  a 
great  laugh,  as  if  I had  said  something  good,  and  the 
two  others  began  to  draw  near  like  cats.  One  girl  took 
my  hand  between  hers  and  stroked  it  timidly;  the 
others,  raising  toward  me  their  beautiful  black  eyes,  and 
with  smiles  showing  teeth  which  were  not  filed,  and 
which  were  as  white  as  snow,  demanded  permission  to 
touch  this  hand  which  seemed  so  strange.  And  then 
they  all  felt  my  cheeks  and  my  straight  hair,  and  looked 
upon  me  as  a strange  prodigy  sent  to  them  by  the  gods. 
And  all  the  while  they  chattered,  the  pretty  things,  as  if 
I could  understand  them. 

“ Now  ensued  a grand  discussion ; first  my  skin  was 
touched,  and  then  my  coat,  and  the  two  were  carefully 
compared.  At  length  one  of  them  happened  to  pull 
back  my  coat,  and  on  seeing  my  wrist  they  gave  a cry 
and  clasped  their  hands  unanimously.  They  had  been 
arguing  whether  my  coat  was  of  the  same  material  as 
my  skin  and  an  accident  had  solved  the  mystery.” 

Yet  despite  our  little  oddities,  the  African  has  a 
reverential  fear  of  the  white  man.  He  will  underrate 
our  intelligence  and  common  sense,  as  we  do  his,  and 
undertake  to  outwit  or  defraud  the  traveler  at  every 
turn;  but  he  attributes  to  us  magical  powers,  and 


368 


CUSTOMS  AND  TRAITS. 


thinks  we  have  wonderful  fetish.  A Du  Chaillu  with 
his  electric  battery  among  the  Ashangos,  or  with  a 
telescope  or  repeating  rifle,  can  be  held  as  almost 
supreme  in  power.  He  will  be  called  Spirit,  Fetish, 
Master,  and  a score  of  similar  names.  But  as  by 
association  the  African  learns  more  of  the  white,  he 
readily  detects  the  fact  and  the  reason  of  the  latter’s 
superiority.  The  Ashantees  have  embodied  the  explana- 
tion in  one  of  their  tales : God  made  a white  man  and 

a black  man;  he  placed  before  them  a hoe,  many  choice 
things  of  earth,  and  a book.  The  black  man  had  first 
choice  and  took  the  hoe  and  the  good  things  ; the  white 
man,  left  with  only  the  book,  mastered  all  wisdom, 
and  has  all  the  benefits  the  negro  lost.  But  with  true 
savage  conservatism  they  add,  “ Since  it  is  so,  let  the 
white  man  stick  to  his  books,  and  leave  us  to  follow 
our  ways  in  peace.” 


SHOCKING  THE  ASHANGOS. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


*E  have  come;  we  have  seen  Africa  in  all  its 
beauty  and  fertility,  with  all  its  difficulties 
and  perils  of  access ; we  have  seen  the  African, 
with  all  his  craft,  indolence,  cruelty  and  impassiveness ; 
with  all  his  mingled  vices  and  virtues,  his  attainments 
and  his  capabilities ; the  darkness  of  his  past  and  the 
doifibt  of  his  future ; and  having  come  and  seen,  under  the 
guidance  of  many  a noble  traveler,  let  us  go  up  to  possess 
the  land  and  make  a peaceful  conquest.  Our  guide  shall 
be  Stanley,  while  the  sinews  of  war  are  furnished  by  the 


INTERNATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  THE  CONGO. 


How  this  association  originated,  and  what  are  its 
objects,  may  be  learned  from  the  subjoined  letter  of 
Gen.  H.  S.  Sanford,  of  Florida,  toU.  S.  Senator  Morgan. 
The  dat|j  is  March  24,  1884. 

“ Dear  Sir: — In  reply  to  your  request  for  specific 
information  as  to  the  origin  and  objects  of  the  Interna- 
tional African  Association,  I have  the  honor  to  state  that 
it  owes  its  origin  to  the  king  of  the  Belgians,  who,  in 
1876,  convened  a conference  of  distinguished  African 
travelers  of  different  nationalities  at  his  palace  in  Brus- 
sels in  September  of  that  year,  to  devise  the  best  means 
of  opening  up  to  civilization  equatorial  Africa.  The  re- 

(370) 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


371 


suit  of  this  conference,  which  recommended  the  estab- 
lishment of  stations,  and  provided  for  a permanent  cen- 
tral organization,  and  branch  organizations  in  other 
countries,  was  the  convoking  of  a commission  or  con- 
gress, which  met  at  the  palace  in  Brussels  in  June, 
1877,  and  at  which  delegates  from  Austria,  Belgium, 
France,  Germany,  the  Netherlands,  Spain,  Switzerland 
and  the  United  States  were  present.  An  executive  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  three  representatives  of  the  English 
speaking,  German  and  Latin  races,  in  the  persons  of 
Henry  S.  Sanford,  of  Florida,  Dr.  Nachtigal  (the  Afri- 
can explorer),  of  Belgium,  and  M.  de  Quatrefages  (of 
the  Institute),  of  Paris,  for  these  races  respectively,  un- 
der the  presidency  of  the  king,  was  confirmed,  and  the 
practical  means  of  carrying  out  the  objects  of  the  Asso- 
ciation were  discussed  and  determined  upon. 

“ These  were*  the  organization  of  a branch  in  each 
of  the  various  states  of  Europe  and  in  America , which 
should  aid  in  attracting  attention  to  this  work,  and  in 
founding  hospitable  and  scientific  stations  under  the 
flag  of  the  Association,  which  flag  it  was  determined 
should  be  a blue  flag  with  a golden  star  in  the  center. 
It  was  also  decided  to  commence  the  founding  of  these 
stations  on  the  east  coast  at  Zanzibar,  stretching  over 
to  the  lakes. 

“ An  extract  from  the  proceedings,  defining  what 
these  stations,  destined  to  form  a chain  of  posts  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  should  be,  is  given,  as  best  explaining 
the  purpose  of  the  Association : 

“ ‘ What  a station  shall  he. — The  executive  commit- 
tee receives  from  the  International  Association  entire 
liberty  of  action  in  the  execution  of  the  following  general 
dispositions  for  the  founding  of  hospitable  and  scientific 
stations : The  personnel  of  a station  is  to  consist  of  a 


372 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


chief  and  a certain  number  of  employes,  chosen  or  ac- 
cepted by  the  executive  committee.  The  first  care  of  a 
chief  of  a station  should  be  to  procure  a suitable  dwell- 
ing, and  to  utilize  the  resources  of  the  country,  in  order 
that  the  station  may  be  self-supporting. 

“ ‘ The  scientific  mission  of  a station  consists,  in  so 
far  as  it  is  practicable,  in  astronomical  and  meteorolo- 
gical observations ; in  the  formation  of  collections  in 
geology,  botany  and  zoology ; in  the  mapping  of  the 
environs  of  the  station ; in  the  preparation  of  a vocabu- 
lary and  grammar  of  the  language  of  the  country ; in 
ethnological  observations ; in  reporting  the  accounts  of 
native  travelers  of  the  countries  they  have  visited,  and 
in  keeping  a journal  of  all  events  and  observations 
worthy  of  notice. 

“ ‘ The  hospitable  mission  of  the  station  shall  be  to 
receive  all  the  travelers  whom  the  chief  shall  deem 
worthy;  to  provide  them,  at  their  cost  at  the  place, 
with  instruments,  goods,  and  provisions,  as  well  as 
guides  and  interpreters ; to  inform  them  as  to  the  best 
routes  to  follow,  and  to  transmit  their  correspondence. 
It  will  also  be  the  duty  of  a station  to  insure  as  rapid 
and  as  regular  communication  as  possible  from  post  to 
p^st  between  the  coast  and  the  interior. 

“ 4 One  of  the  ulterior  objects  of  the  stations  will  be, 
by  their  civilizing  influences  to  suppress  the  slave- 
trade.’ 


“ The  result  of  this  movement  has  been  the  open- 
ing up  of  a highway,  so  to  speak,  from  Zanzibar  to 
Lake  Tanganyika,  mostly  with  capital  furnished  by  the 
Belgians,  the  last  of  the  stations  being  at  Karena,  on  the 
lake,  two  of  the  intermediary  stations  being  founded,  re- 
spectively, by  the  French  and  German  branches  of  the 
association. 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


373 


“After  Stanley  discovered  the  Upper  Congo,  in 
1877,  a branch  of  the  International  Association  was 
formed  the  year  following  for  special  work  on  .the  Congo, 
under  the  name  of  Comite  d’Etudes  of  the  Upper  Congo, 
but  under  the  flag  of  the  Association,  and  special  contri- 
butions for  it  were  made  by  the  philanthropic  friends  cf 
the  Association.  This  work,  which  the  king  of  Belgium 
has  taken  under  his  especial  personal  and  financial  pro- 
tection, has  developed  to  extraordinary  proportions,  and 
has  for  its  practical  result  the  opening  up  to  civilizing  in- 
fluences, and  to  the  world’s  traffic,  this  most  populous 
and  fertile  region,  and  securing  certain  destruction  to 
the  slave-trade,  wherever  its  flag  floats.  The  only  prac- 
tical difficulty  in  this  wonderful  progress  proves  to  be 
an  unrecognized  flag,  which  is  liable  to  be  misunder- 
stood and  abused,  and  the  people  under  it  subjected  to 
impediments  in  their  philanthropic  work  on  the  part  of 
those  engaged  in  the  slave-trade,  or  for  other  selfish 
purposes. 

<£  I have  the  honor  to  be  very  respectfully  yours, 

“ H.  S.  Sanford, 

“ Member  of  the  Executive -Committee  of  the  Inter- 
national African  Association.  ” 

The  Comite  d’Etudes  of  the  Upper  Congo  subse- 
quently assumed  the  name  of  the  International  Associa- 
tion of  the  Congo.  It  is  a branch  of  the  Association 
International  Africaine,  devoted  especially  to  the  devel- 
opment of  the  Congo  basin.  The  difficulty  of  an  un- 
recognized flag  referred  to  by  Gen.  Sanford,  was  taken 
away  in  the  winter  of  1884-85,  when  the  leading  nations 
of  Europe,  together  with  the  United  States,  separately 
recognized  the  flag  of  the  Association  as  that  of  a 
friendly  state,  while  the  Berlin  Conference,  composed  of 


374  PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 

delegates  representing  the  United  States  and  every 
European  power,  by  its  action,  subscribed  on  the  26th 
of  February,  1885,  engaged  the  favor  of  all  the  nations 
in  behalf  of  the  Association,  and  settled  the  terms  of 
common  intercourse  with  the  new  state. 

It  is  the  month  of  January,  1878.  Stanley  has  ar- 
rived in  Europe,  wearied  in  body  and  depressed  in 
mind.  He  has  traced  the  Congo  to  the  sea.  But  he 
has  endured  famine  and  privation,  has  seen  his  followers 
perish  by  flood  and  by  sword,  and  has  lost  a trusty  friend. 
His  triumphs,  so  well-earned,  are  but  secondary  mat- 
ters; he  thinks  only  of  rest.  Africa  has  lost  her 
charms,  since  he  knows  her  secrets.  He  will  visit  her 
no  more. 

But  it  was  not  to  be.  Arriving  at  Marseilles,  he  was 
mex  by  two  commissioners  from  the  king  of  Belgium. 
Plans  of  beneficent  enterprise  toward  Africa  were  un- 
der discussion,  which  for  their  execution  would  require 
knowledge,  judgment,  and  a dauntless  leader.  He  must 
make  up  his  mind  to  return  to  Africa. 

The  weary  traveler  listened  to  the  proposal  with 
impatience.  He  was  willing  to  give  his  advice,  but  not 
his  personal  leadership.  44  Six  months  hence,”  he 
said,  44 my  feelings  may  be  different;  but  at  present  I 
am  so  sick  and  weary  that  I can  think  only  of  long  rest 
and  sleep.” 

Good  food  and  shelter,  and  relief  from  responsibil- 
ity soon  recuperated  a half-ruined  constitution.  His 
book,  “ The  Dark  Continent,”  was  prepared,  and  sub- 
mitted to  the  publishers.  He  visited  Leopold,  the  king 
of  the  Belgians,  and  heard  his  plans.  The  call  for  ac- 
tion was  not  immediate.  Till  it  should  come  he  might 
enjoy  his  courted  liberty.  But  he  knew  not  the  art. 
He  says : 44  Like  hundreds  of  others  from  America  and 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS. 


376 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


England,  I thought  the  art  lay  in  dressing  a la  mode , 
sipping  coffee  with  indolent  attitudes  on  the  flag-stones 
of  Parisian  boulevards,  or  testing  the  merits  of  Pilsen 
or  Strasburg  beer ; but  my  declining  health,  and  increas- 
ing moody  spirits  informed  me  that  these  were  vanities 
productive  of  nothing  but  loss  of  time,  health  and  use- 
fulness.” 

At  the  suggestion  of  friends,  he  visited  various  sea- 
side resorts,  and  at  last,  Switzerland.  Three  weeks  of 
climbing  toil  restored  his  health  and  whetted  his  mind 
for  action. 

This  opened  his  eyes.  He  was  suffering  from  much 
the  same  reaction  that  had  so  affected  his  Wangwana 
followers  so  soon  as  their  work  was  ended.  The  habit 
of  constant  activity,  cultivated  for  three  years,  could  not 
at  once  be  shaken  off.  What  he  needed  was  work,  not 
rest.  A letter  from  one  of  the  International  Commis- 
sioners called  him  to  Paris,  and  he  gladly  responded. 
The  question  of  utilizing  the  Congo  was  carefully  dis- 
cussed in  all  its  aspects.  The  proposed  expedition 
might  be  geographical,  philanthropic  or  commercial. 
A geographical  or  exploring  expedition  would  be  costly, 
with  little  probability  of  adding  anything  important  to 
what  was  already  known.  A philanthropic  expedition 
would  be  expensive,  perhaps  without  lasting  results. 
A commercial  enterprise  must  compete  with  the  already 
established  coast  traders,  call  for  large  capital  and  a 
peculiar  class  of  men  not  easily  to  be  found.  A rail- 
way was  proposed,  to  join  the  Upper  and  Lower  Congo, 
but  its  construction  called  for  preliminary  information 
and  arrangements.  The  voluminous  papers  embodying 
the  results  of  the  interview  were  by  the  commissioners 
carried  to  Brussels,  to  be  laid  before  his  Majesty,  the 
king  of  the  Belgians. 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


377 


In  November,  1878,  a meeting  composed  of  various  per- 
sonages of  financial  consequence  from  England,  France, 
Germany,  Belgium,  and  Holland,  on  invitation  of  the 
King,  convened  at  the  palace  in  Brussels.  Mr.  Stanley 
was  present  to  answer  questions  concerning  Africa,  its 
tribes,  its  tributes,  its  productions,  and  the  security  prob- 
able to  commercial  enterprise.  The  Comite  d’  Etudes  du 
Haut  Congo  was  organized,  Col.  Strauch,  of  the  Belgian 
army,  was  elected  president ; about  $100,000  was  sub- 
scribed for  immediate  use,  and  more  promised  when  re- 
quired. An  expedition  was  to  be  at  once  organized  and 
equipped  for  the  Congo,  and  Mr.  Stanley  was  to  lead  it. 
What  was  to  be  the  character  of  the  expedition  has  al- 
ready appeared. 

Two  steamers  were  speedily  chartered,  the  Albion 
and  the  Barga.  In  the  Albion  Mr.  Stanley  proceeded 
to  Zanzibar,  to  engage  as  many  as  possible  of  the  men 
who  had  with  him  two  years  before  traversed  Africa  and 
descended  the  unknown  Congo.  Sixty-eight  Zanzibaris 
were  enlisted  for  a term  of  three  years,  and  of  these  two- 
thirds  were  his  old  companions.  Among  them  also  was 
Susi,  Dr.  Livingstone’s  head  man,  who,  on  far  Lake 
Bangweolo,  closed  his  master’s  eyes  in  death,  embalmed 
his  body,  and  bore  it  among  suspicious  tribes,  and 
through  perils  of  the  wilderness,  nearly  two  thousand 
miles,  back  to  the  east  coast,  to  be  placed  on  board  a 
British  vessel  and  borne  to  its  final  resting-place  in 
Westminster  Abbey. 

The  Barga,  ladened  with  steamers,  lighters,  whale- 
boats, portable  wooden  houses,  corrugated  iron  stoves, 
wagons,  provisions,  etc.,  was,  so  soon  as  these  things 
could  be  purchased  and  placed  on  board,  to  proceed  di- 
rect to  the  mouth  of  the  Congo.  Meanwhile  Mr.  Stan- 
ley, tarrying  at  Zanzibar,  and  completing  his  arrange- 


$78 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


ments,  occupied  some  time  in  exploring  the  rivers 
Wami,  Kingani,  Eufiji  and  Mombasa  Creek. 

On  the  14th  of  August,  1879,  the  steamer  Albion , 
with  Stanley  and  his  Zanzibaris  on  board,  having  come 
by  the  way  of  the  Eed  Sea,  Suez  and  the  Mediterra- 
nean, arrived  at  Banana  Point,  the  port  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Congo.  For  a full  day’s  steaming  previous,  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  ocean  had  been  changed  by  the  mud 
and  debris  of  the  great  river. 

As  the  reader  has  seen  so  much  of  the  dark  and 
cruel,  the  somber  and  the  terrible,  in  his  wanderings 
thus  far,  let  Mr.  Stanley  describe  something  of  the 
more  attractive  in  Africa.  We  approach  the  mouth  of 
the  Congo. 

“To  our  left  stretched  a land  very  little  in  accord- 
ance with  our  ideas  of  tropical  luxuriance.  The  sea 
line  was  backed  by  low,  reddish  cliffs,  and  be- 
yond these  extended  a gradually  rising  land,  covered 
with  sere  grass,  dotted  here  and  there  with  clusters  of 
trees  or  groves,  which,  no  doubt,  marked  the  site  of 
small  native  villages.  There  were  but  few  prominent 
hills  to  be  seen  anywhere ; but  it  was  noticeable  that 
towards  the  interior  there  was  a general  uplift  of  the 
land,  and  a greater  irregularity  in  its  contour,  until  it' 
culminated  in  a ridge  of  hills  of  nearly  uniform  alti- 
tude running  N.  N.  E.  and  S.  S.  W. 

“Over  the  prow  of  the  steamer,  however,  there 
was  to  be  seen  a large,  triangular  mass  of  forest  land, 
probably  about  twenty  miles  wide  at  the  base,  both 
sides  of  which,  as  the  eye  followed  them  towards  the  in- 
terior, seemed  to  be  almost  meeting  in  a point  far  in- 
land ; and  parallel  with  these,  a few  miles  off  in  the 
north,  the  hilly  ridge  already  mentioned,  having  sud- 
denly curved,  ran  due  east  while  nearly  a similar  line 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


379 


of  hills  appeared  from  the  south,  curving  in  like 
manner,  and  running  eastward.  Within  the  area  thus 
described  lay  the  valley  of  the  Lower  Congo.  Through 
the  center  of  this  valley  and  forested  triangle  flowed 
the  mighty  river,  with  an  average  width  of  about  three 
and  a third  English  miles,  widening  at  the  mouth  to 
seven  and  a third  English  miles,  that  is,  from  Banana 
Point  on  the  north  to  Shark’s  Point  on  the  south.” 

Near  noon,  as  the  vessel  gradually  approached, 
“ the  Congo  disclosed  itself  like  a huge  valve ; a broad 
stream  of  daylight  has  disparted  the  triangular  mass  of 
woods  into  two  sections,  and  bearing  down  upon  us  we 
see  a majestic  stretch  of  river  twenty  miles  long,  of  im- 
mense volume  and  force,  whose  power  we  are  made  to 
feel  by  the  very  slow  progress  we  make,  despite  the  full 
head  of  steam  with  which  the  Albion  had  been  prepared 
for  the  ascent  of  the  river  proper. 

“ With  Shark’s  Point,  which  now  lies  on  our  right, 
and  its  hook  of  land  half  enfolding  Diegos  Bay,  with 
Point  Pardrao  and  its  monumental  stone  of  the  old 
Portuguese  navigator  far  receding,  and  the  long,  high, 
scarcely  penetrable  wall % of  tall  woods  which  darkly 
fringes  the  southern  shore,  we  have  nothing  to  do ; for 
on" our  left,  brilliantly  white  with  lime-wash,  on  a pro- 
jecting tongue  of  fine  sand,  squats  low  a long  li\?.e  of 
Congo  factories,  which  occupy  nearly  the  whole  length 
of  the  sandy  peninsula  known  as  Banana  Point.  This 
sandy  tongue  is  so  low  that  the  dark  hulls  of  the  ship- 
ping in  the  harbor  seem  to  be  riding  on  a plane  higher 
than  the  ground  covered  by  the  buildings.  High  up  on 
most  ambitious  spars,  above  buildings  and  shipping, 
wave  the  various  national  flags  of  Holland,  France  and 
Great  Britain.” 

Banana  Point  is  two  and  a half  miles  long,  a mile 


380 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


wide  at  the  base,  and  tapers  to  a sharp  point.  Towards 
the  extreme  end  are  the  buildings  of  the  great  “ Dutch 
House”  founded  by  Messrs.  Pincoffs  and  Kerdyck,  of 
Botterdam.  Formerly  known  as  the  Africanshe  Han- 
dels-Yereeniging,  it  is  now,  since  its  failure  and  recon- 
struction in  1879,  known  as  the  Africanshe  Yenootschap. 
Begun  in  1869,  it  represents  to-day  eighty  or  more 
coast  or  interior  stations,  employs  in  its  trade  three 
large  steamers  and  a forty-ton  tug,  and  with  its  ware- 
houses, sheds,  courts,  yards  and  buildings,  occupies 
about  700  acres  of  land.  Next  above  them  on  the 
Point  is  the  French  House  of  Daumas,  Beraud  & Co., 
much  humbler,  and  further  still,  the  Congo  and  Central 
African  Trading  Company 

The  Dutch  company  employs  a considerable  num- 
ber of  Europeans,  mostly  very  young  men,  and  of  Afri- 
cans enough  to  constitute  a good-sized  village.  With 
their  wives  and  children  “they  represent  every  tribal 
district  along  the  coast  to  Cape  Lopez  and  distant  parts 
of  interior  Ngoyo,  and  the  land  of  the  Bateke  and  Ba- 
sundi.  Kruboys — strong-limbed,  broad-chested,  fine- 
muscled men  of  the  laboring  class — are  also  here  by  the 
score.  Along  the  beach,  or  on  the  piers,  they  may  be 
seen  in  loin-clouts,  and  hats  with  brims  of  ample  promi- 
nence and  girth,  and  a grotesque  variety  of  caps,  heave- 
yo-ing  upon  heavy  weights,  rolling  limewashed  casks  of 
palm  oil,  cooking  the  rich  yellow  butter  of  the  Elais 
Guineensis , running  it  into  other  casks;  at  the  coal 
yard,  loading  trucks,  bearing  sacks  of  palm  kernels  or 
shelled  ground  nuts.  Under  the  lengthy  sheds  are  the 
boat-builders,  building  new  lighters  or  dingeys.  The 
Kabinda  cask-makers  are  hammering  down  the  iron 
hoops  with  a din  that  shocks  the  ears.  Along  the  beach 
the  boats  come  and  go,  or  the  galliots  enter,  laden  with 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE.  381 

fresh  water  from  the  south  bank,  or  with  African  pro- 
duce from  Ponta  da  Lenha  and  Boma,  and  perhaps 
from  Mussuko,  higher  up  the  Congo. 

“ To  examine  the  interior  parts  of  the  lengthy 
plank  buildings  is  a good  day’s  work.  In  them  may  be 
seen  enough  to  make  a Manchester  cotton  manufacturer 
weep  with  pleasure,  for  there  may  be,  piled  up  high  in 
bales  upon  bales,  a million  yards  of  cotton,  from  the  finest 
to  the  flimsiest  quality  ; huge  dry-goods  cases,  where  the 
British  government  seems  to  have  disposed  of  the  old 
red  coats  of  their  army  years  ago.  In  another  store, 
Birmingham  and  Sheffield  might  rejoice  at  the  sight  of 
the  iron  kettles  and  pots  and  pans,  the  tons  of  cutlery, 
the  thousands  of  flintlock  muskets  and  percussion  guns, 
and  the  stores  of  brass  bells.  In  another  place  the 
mill  owners  of  Bochdale,  looking  at  the  piles  of  red  and 
blue  samlist,  might  have  cause  to  wish  that  there  were 
more  enterprising  Dutch  Houses  to  buy  from  them  the 
cunning  labour  of  their  looms  and  to  disperse  it  over 
broad  Africa. 

“At  the  extreme  end  of  the  peninsula  of  Banana 
is  the  powder  magazine,  containing  enough  powder  ap- 
parently to  salute  the  dead  for  a century  to  come;  but 
no,  we  shall  be  informed,  just  enough  to  last 
until  the  next  ship  comes — expected  shortly.  This 
might  be  alarming  at  first,  if  we  did  not  re- 
member that  almost  every  child  that  dies  receives 
a salute  of  honour  of  five  shots,  while  a woman 
has  ten,  and  a man  twenty ; for  a chief  ten  or  twelve 
barrels  might  not  suffice.  When  employed  for  such 
harmless  purposes,  we  are  tempted  to  regard  the  dan- 
gerous compound  in  the  light  of  a beneficent  element  of 
trade. 

“ Close  by,  and  between  the  powder  magazine  and 


382 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


the  white  factory  buildings  of  Banana,  is  the  cemetery, 
where  many  a one  sleeps  fast  and  long  whom  not  even 
the  explosion  of  all  those  tons  of  powder  would  awaken 
again  to  tedious  life.  Here  on  the  shore  the  waves  of 
the  Atlantic  beat  loud  and  solemn,  dirge-like,  mourning 
the  loss  of  those  who  appeared  in  the  tropic  land  only 
to  pass  to  their  final  rest.  It  is  a place  to  be  avoided 
by  those  apt  to  be  afflicted  with  presentiments.  The 
sound  of  those  names;  the  view  of  the  dead  sand, 
and  the  blank  waste  of  sea  waters,  which  you  feel  are 
so  wide,  and  stretch  so  far ; the  thought  that  you  can 
not,  if  you  would,  sail  away  on  them — all  are  likely  to 
engender  a profound  melancholy ; for  those  silent 
mounds  seem  to  menace  yourself — you,  so  ignorant  of 
how  to  live  in  this  land  which  has  already  slain  so 
many  as  strong,  if  not  stronger  than  yourself.  Away 
from  the  scene  to  the  habitations  of  the  living ! ” 

The  Barba  had  preceded  the  Albion , left  her  pas- 
sengers, discharged  her  cargo,  and  returned  to  Europe. 
The  freight  had  consisted  in  part  of  the  flotilla  designed 
for  use  on  the  Congo.  It  was  composed  of  eight  vessels, 
great  and  small  and  as  these  must  henceforth  be  a 
conspicuous  feature,  it  is  proper  to  name  and  describe 
them.  They  were — 

“ Steel  twin  screw- steamer  La  Belgique , sixty-five 
feet  long,  eleven  feet  beam,  five  and  a half  feet  draught, 
sixteen  nominal  horse-power;  measurement  thirty  tons. 

Esperance , forty-two  feet  long,  seven  feet  beam; 
six  horse-power  nominal ; screw. 

En  Avantf  paddle-boat,  forty-three  feet  long,  seven 
feet  eleven  inches  beam;  six  horse-power  nominal $ 
draught  eleven  inches. 

Royal , screw,  mahogany  life-boat  built  by  White  of 
Cowes;  thirty  feet  long,  six  feet  beam,  fitted  with  ma- 


PROJECTING  THE  CONGO  STATE. 


383 


hogany  cabin,  plate  glass,  bine  silk  hangings,  equip- 
ment rich,  being  the  special  gift  to  the  expedition  cf  His 
Majesty,  the  King  of  the  Belgians. 

Steel  lighter,  sixty  feet  long,  seven  feet  beam,  four 
feet  deep ; capacity  twelve  tons. 

Steel  lighter,  forty  feet  long  by  six  feet  beam,  three 
feet  deep ; capacity  six  tons. 

Jeune  Africaine , ^screw  launch,  twenty-four  feet 
long,  five  feet  ten  inches  beam. 

Wooden  whaleboat,  thirty-three  feet  long  six  feet 
beam ; capacity  three  and  a third  tons. 

There  was  trouble  both  with  the  men  and  with  the 
vessels.  Every  man  but  two  was  dissatisfied  with  his 
rank  or  pay,  and  nearly  all  clamored  to  be  allowed 
“ expenses,”  which  meant  board,  lodging,  clothes,  wines, 
cigars  and  what  not ! 

Flattery  and  diplomacy  quelled  the  rising  mutiny. 
Some  of  the  vessels  required  slight  changes,  or  additions, 
before  they  were  -ready  to  essay  the  upper  Congo.  The 
En  Avant  especially  behaved  in  an  astounding  manner. 
The  steam  pressure  one  moment  was  such  that  every- 
body was  scared  and  ready  to  jump  overboard;  at  an- 
other it  was  so  slight  that  the  paddles  scarcely  moved 
at  all.  Three  engineers  in  turn  tried  to  reduce  it  to 
good  behavior  and  were  baffled,  when  Francisco  Fla- 
mini  shifted  the  fire  bars  up  higher,  regulated  the  supply 
of  water  and  reduced  the  crazy  craft  to  an  obedient  and 
useful  servant. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


ONE  week  after  the  Albion  had  arrived  at  Banana 
Point  matters  were  arranged,  strifes  adjusted, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  August  the 
little  fleet  turned  its  prows  up  the  Congo.  The  event, 
in  the  history  of  Africa,  may  yet  become  what  the  May- 
flower has  been  in  the  history  of  America.  The  general 
aspect  of  the  landscape  was  somber  and  uninviting. 
Dark  lines  of  mangroves,  intermixed  with  palms,  made 
on  either  bank  a forbidding  and  seemingly  impenetrable 
wood.  Over  forest  and  stream  brooded  the  silence  and 
loneliness  of  death.  There  was  no  voice  or  flight  of 
bird,  or  any  token  of  animate  nature.  Twenty-one 
miles  from  the  starting  brought  the  flotilla  opposite  to 
Kisanga.  With  its  three  factories,  it  lies  close  to  the 
water’s  edge,  in  a little  clearing,  shut  in  on  three  sides 
by  the  deep,  dank  forest.  Four  hours  from  Banana 
brought  the  voyagers  to  Ponta  da  Lenha,  situated  on  an 
island  near  the  northern  bank,  and  containing  three 
factories  of  as  many  nationalities.  The  Dutch,  as 
usual,  are  far  ahead  in  the  style  and  solidity  of  their 
structures.  They  were  engaged  in  driving  massive  piles 
of  teak  and  redwood  to  protect  the  bank  from  abrasion 
by  the  impetuous  current.  Here  was  spent  a comfort- 
able night,  in  the  enjoyment  of  such  hospitality  as  a 

(384) 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


38b 


Dutch  master  can  bestow  who  gives  his  time  and  his 
choicest  things  to  the  entertainment  of  his  guests.  In 
the  morning  the  expedition  was  again  under  way.  The 
bush  along  the  banks  now  loomed  less  tall  and  dark, 
the  mangroves  disappeared,  the  palms  became  mor6 
conspicuous,  and  here  and  there  a plain,  covered  with 
tall,  dark,  waving  grass,  was  seen  receding  in  the 
distance. 

Four  hours  from  Ponta  da  Lenha  saw  the  fleet 
moored  to  the  wharf  at  Boma.  It  is  situated  on 
the  north  bank,  and  from  the  landing  may  be  seen  from 
end  to  end,  extending  in  a curve  with  the  river.  Like 
Banana,  it  is  a congeries  of  whitewashed  buildings, 
shops,  warehouses,  sheds,  and  dwellings,  with  flags  of 
various  nations  floating  above. 

Through  two  centuries  Boma’s  history  was  fraught 
with  horrors.  Thither  were  brought  thousands  of  men  and 
women,  youths  and  maidens,  torn  from  villages  every- 
where from  the  coast  to  Stanley  Pool,  loaded  with  cum- 
brous yokes,  and  chained  together  by  dozens,  to  be 
crowded  into  the  hot  and  suffocating  hold  of  some 
slaver,  and  transferred  to  Brazil,  the  West  Indies,  or 
North  America.  Whole  fleets  engaged  in  the  horrid 
traffic  have  anchored  here.  The  land  was  desolated, 
and  its  inhabitants  are  few  in  number.  In  this  infernal 
trade  a strong  white  savage  bought  and  sold  a weak 
black  one. 

And  here,  in  1877,  a deed  was  done  which  smacks 
of  the  bygone  days.  Maltreated  slaves,  retaliating  upon 
their  master,  stole  his  rum,  and  burned  his  stores.  He 
discovered  and  seized  the  guilty  ones.  On  the  neck  of 
each  he  placed  a ring,  through  which  he  passed  a 
chain,  and  so  fastened  all  together ; then  placing  them 
in  a boat,  he  rowed  to  the  middle  of  the  river,  and 


386 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


pushed  them  one  by  one  over  the  boat’s  edge  into  the 
seething  flood.  Their  dead  bodies,  drifted  by  the  stream, 
were  lodged  on  an  island  below. 

To-day  the  intercourse  between  whites  and  negroes 
is  peaceful.  Competition  among  traders  secures  for  the 
negro  kind  treatment  and  fair  dealing.  The  churlish, 
disagreeable,  tyrannical  trader  will  get  little  business  in 
Boma,  for  the  blacks  will  dispose  of  their  wares  to 
another. 

From  Boma  the  fleet  proceeded  to  Mussuko— a run 
of  three  hours  and  forty-five  minutes.  Thence  the 
Albion , having  served  the  expedition  as  far  as  required, 
returned  to  England. 

Just  above  Boma  is  Prince’s  Island,  where  several 
of  the  officers  of  Captain  Tuckey’s  expedition  sleep  their 
last,  long  sleep.  The  island  is  covered  with  a dense 
tangle  of  tropical  vegetation,  to  which  a grace  is  im- 
parted by  the  presence  of  many  feathery  palms.  The 
summit  is  jagged  and  uneven,  affording  glimpses  of 
gray  rocks  through  crowns  of  dark  green  leaves. 

The  bluffs,  which  below  retired  like  a vanquished 
army,  now  become  bolder  in  their  angle  and  elevation, 
and  press  upon  the  river.  “ Those  steep  slopes  of  red 
clay,  thickly  strewn  with  gray  blocks  of  stone  and 
quartz;  those  ever  repeating  conformations  of  al- 
most precipitous  spurs,  alternating  with  gullies  scan- 
tily green  with  poor  bush ; those  narrow  bits  of  terraces 
adorned  with  a palm  or  two,  with  bluffy  river  frontage 
and  long  line  of  dark,  naked  grit  rock,  and  the  deep, 
broad,  brown-faced  river  confined  within  its  rocky  bed 
and  sides  by  two  almost  uniform  lines  of  high  hills, 
cannot  offer  anything  that  is  very  agreeable  to  the  eye. 
We  are  never  freed  from  a faint  feeling  that  all  we  look 
upon  verges  upon  the  desolate ; there  is  an  unmistak- 


ONE  OF  THE  GREAT  CHIEFS. 


388 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


able  poverty  in  the  aspect,  and  in  August,  when  the 
grass  is  bleached  white,  there  is  a visible  thirstiness.” 

In  1879  there  were  but  two  factories  above  Boma — 
Scott’s,  at  Mussuko,  and  Faro’s,  at  Nokki.  Several 
have  been  planted  since,  as  likewise  missionary  stations  ; 
while  at  Nkongolo,  opposite  to  Nokki,  the  International 
Association  has  built  a two-storied  chalet  and  some 
storehouses. 

On  the  26th  of  September  Mr.  Stanley  provisioned 
the  Esperance  for  a few  days,  and,  with  about  a dozen 
men,  started  to  make  a careful  examination  of  the  river 
above  Mussuko,  with  a view  to  the  selection  of  a point 
to  be  made  the  base  of  future  operations.  He  found 
one  about  two  miles  below  Yellalla,  the  lowest  of  the 
Livingstone  Falls.  The  spot  selected  was  some  fifteen 
miles,  by  the  course  of  the  river,  above  Mussuko,  and 
one  hundred  and  ten  miles  from  the  sea.  The  river  is 
here  hemmed  in  between  hills,  some  of  which  are  a 
thousand  feet  or  more  above  sea  level.  The  current  of 
the  river  is  such  that  a vessel  incapable  of  nine  knots 
an  hour  could  not  ascend,  and  the  depth  was  found  in 
one  place,  evidently  not  the  deepest,  to  be  540  feet.  In 
making  his  reconnoissance  for  position,  Mr.  Stanley 
was  under  the  guidance  of  De-de-de,  chief  of  Nsanda. 
The  guide  conducted  him  to  a sand  plat,  one  hundred 
yards  long  and  fifty  yards  deep,  situated  between  the 
river  and  a frowning  bluff.  The  investigation  that  fob 
lowed  led  to  the  rejection  of  this,  and  to  the  choice  of 
an  elevated  terrace  a little  farther  up  the  river. 

Then  followed  negotiations  with  the  five  chiefs  of 
Vivi,  within  whose  domain  was  the  coveted  position. 
Massala,  the  interpreter,  introduced  them  in  the  order 
of  their  eminence. 

“No.  1,  the  senior  lord  of  Yivi,  by  name  Yivi 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


389 


Mavungu,  of  Banza  Yivi,  son  of  his  father  of  the 
same  name,  stood  out,  short  of  stature  and  club-footed, 
with  an  affected  scowl  of  defiant  truculency,  which 
he  had  intended  for  one  of  bland  amiability,  dressed 
in  a blue  lackey’s  coat,  a knit  Phrygian  cap  of 
vari-.colored  cotton,  and  a lower  cloth  of  gaudy 
pattern. 

“No.  2,  Ngufu  Mpanda,  of  Banza  Sombo,  a hale 
old  man  with  gray  hair — a veritable  Uncle  Tom — in  an 
English  red  military  tunic,  a brown  felt  hat,  and  ample 
cloth  of  check  pattern  round  the  lower  portion  of  his 
body,  anklets  of  brass  wire,  and . a necklace  of  elephant 
hair  wove  through  a few  fetish  relics  for  good  luck. 
Like  Yivi  Mavungu,  he  brought  his  hand  to  his  hat, 
bent  his  body  in  a not  ungraceful  situation,  and 
‘ scraped  a leg  ’ like  a sailor. 

“No.  3,  Kapita,  a humorous-looking  elder,  of  short 
height,  befrocked  in  a dark-blue  soldier’s  coat,  a good 
cloth  round  his  lower  half,  ankles  and  neck  being 
adorned  in  a similar  fashion  to  the  above-mentioned. 
After  a salute,  which  likewise  was  an  imitation  of  a 
sailor’s,  he  retired  to  make  room  for 

“No.  4,  Yivi  Nlm,  who  was  not  very  sober,  but 
rather  hilarious  in  manner,  and  degraded  in  feature,  in 
a black  cloth  frock  coat  and  black  silk  hat,  and  his 
nether  parts  enriched  by  an  ample  robe  of  crimson 
samelist. 

“No.  5 was  Benzoni  Congo,  a handsome,  well- 
formed  young  man,  in  a dark-brown  coat,  which  be- 
longed once  to  a London  club ; a nether  robe  of  spotted 
blue  cotton ; neck,  ankles,  and  wrists  ringed  around  with 
brass  wire.” 

Seated  on  mats  beneath  the  shade  of  a wide- 
spreading  tree,  the  chiefs  were  ready  to  begin  the  nego- 


390 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


tiation.  “ Massala,  the  spokesman,  was  requested  by 
Vivi  Mavungu  to  address  me  thus  : 

“ £ We,  the  big  chiefs  of  Vivi,  are  glad  to  see  the 
Mundele  (trader,  formerly,  but  now  applied  to  every 
white).  If  the  Mundele  has  any  wish  to  settle  in  our 
country,  as  Massala  informs  us,  we  shall  welcome  him, 
and  will  be  great  friends  with  him.  Let  the  Mundele 
speak  his  mind  freely.’  ” 

To  which  Mr.  Stanley  replied:  “ I am  glad  to 

hear  them  speak  so  kindly  to  the  white  man.  To-day 
I do  not  want  much.  I want  ground  to  build  my 
houses,  for  I am  about  to  build  many,  either  here  or 
elsewhere.  I want  ground  enough,  if  I can  get  it,  to 
make  gardens  and  fields.  Vivi  is  not  good  enough  for 
that,  unless  I go  far  up ; but  what  I do  get,  I want  for 
myself  and  people,  and  the  right  to,  say  what  white 
man  shall  come  near  me.  At  Boma  the  chiefs  have  cut 
the  ground  up  small ; there  is  no  room  for  me.  I want 
plenty  of  room,  and  that  is  why  I have  come  up  here. 
I want  to  go  inland,  and  I must  have  the  right  to  make 
roads  wherever  it  is  necessary,  and  all  men  that  pass  by 
those  roads  must  be  allowed  to  pass  without  inter, 
ruption.  No  chief  must  lay  his  hand  on  them  and  say: 
‘This  country  is  mine;  pay  me  something;  give  me 
gin,  or  cloth,  or  so  many  guns.’  You  have  heard  of  me, 
I know,  for  De-de-de,  who  is  here,  must  have  told  you. 
What  I saw  on  the  road  to  Boma  must  not  be  repeated 
here.  You  have  no  roads  in  your  country.  It  is  a wil- 
derness of  grass,  rocks,  bush ; and  there  at  Banza  Vivi 
is  the  end  of  all  life.  If  you  and  I can  agree,  I shall 
change  all  that,  I am  going  to  stop  here  to-night; 
thinkr  of  what  I have  told  you,  and  I will  listen.  To- 
morrow you  can  return  at  the  third  hour  of  the  day, 
and  speak.” 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


891 


The  chiefs  returned  home,  taking  with  them  De- 
de-de  and  Massala,  Stanley’s  friends  since  1877.  The 
next  morning,  prompt  to  the  time,  and  in  their  best 
array  of  cast-off  military  and  lackey  coats  and  gay  cot- 
ton cloths,  they  were  present  to  continue  the  negotiation. 
They  were  clean  and  sober,  though  each  of  the  chiefs 
at  parting  the  evening  before  had  asked  and  received  a 
bottle  of  gin.  The  mats  were  unrolled,  the  parties  were 
seated,  and  the  conference  began.  Massala  related 
« how  the  chiefs  had  gone  home,  and  consulted  together 
for  a long  time : they  had  agreed  that  if  the  Mundele 
would  stay  with  them,  that  of  all  the  land  unoccupied  by 
villages,  or  fields,  or  gardens,  I should  make  my  choice, 
and  build  as  many  houses,  and  make  as  many  roads, 
and  do  any  kind  of  work  I liked ; that  I should  be  con- 
sidered as  the  Mundele  of  Vivi,  and  no  other  white  man 
should  put  foot  on  Yivi  soil,  which  stretched  from  the 
Lufu  up  to  the  Banza  Kulu  district,  and  inland  down  to 
the  Loa  Biver,  without  permission  from  me ; no  native 
chief  of  inland  or  river- side  should  molest  any  man  in 
my  employ  within  the  district  of  Vivi ; help  should  be 
given  for  work,  and  the  people  of  Vivi,  such  as  liked, 
should  engage  themselves  as  workmen ; anybody,  white 
or  black,  native  or  foreign,  passing  to  and  fro  through 
the  land,  should  do  so  freely,  night  and  day,  without  let 
or  hindrance ; if  any  disagreement  should  arise  between 
any  of  my  people,  white  or  black,  and  the  people  of 
Vivi,  they,  the  chiefs,  would  promise  not  to  try  to  re- 
venge themselves,  but  bring  their  complaint  before  the 
Mundele  of  Vivi,  that  he  might  decide  upon  the  right 
and  the  wrong  of  it ; and  if  any  of  their  people  were 
caught  in  the  act  of  doing  wrong,  then  the  white  man 
shall  promise  that  his  chief  shall  be  called  to  hear  the 


392 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


case  against  him,  and  if  the  crime  is  proved,  the  chief 
shall  pay  the  fine,  according  to  custom 

“ ‘All  this/  continued  Massala,  ‘ shall  be  set  down 
in  writing,  and  you  shall  read  it,  and  the  English  lingster 
shall  tell  it  straight  to  us.  But  first  we  must  settle 
what  the  chiefs  shall  receive  in  return  for  these  con- 
cessions.’ ” 

They  drove  with  Stanley  a hard  bargain  for  some 
barren  land.  The  negotiation  lasted  about  four  hours 
before  terms  were  finally  arranged.  Stanley  was  to 
pay  in  cloth  £32  for  the  desired  concession,  and  a 
rental  thereafter  of  £2  per  month.  So  was  secured  the 
first  franchise  of  the  International  Association  of  the 
Congo. 

Says  Mr.  Stanley : 

“ In  the  management  of  a bargain  I should  back 
the  Congoese  native  against  Jew  or  Christian,  Parsee  or 
Banyan,  in  all  the  round  world.  Unthinking  men  may 
perhaps  say  that  cleverness  at  barter,  and  shrewdness  in 
trade,  consort  not  with  their  unsophisticated  condition 
and  degraded  customs.  Unsophisticated  is  the  very  last 
term  I should  ever  apply  to  an  African  child  or  man  in 
connection  with  the  knowledge  of  how  to  trade.  Apply 
the  term,  if  you  please,  to  yourself,  or  to  a Bed  Indian, 
but  it  is  utterly  inapplicable  to  an  African,  and  this  is  my 
seventeenth  year  of  acquaintance  with  him.  I have 
seen  a child  of  eight  do  more  tricks  of  trade  in  an  hour 
than  the  cleverest  European  trader  on  the  Congo  could 
do  in  a month.  There  is  a little  boy  in  Bolobo,  aged 
six,  named  Lingenji,  who  would  make  more  profit  out  of 
a pound’s  worth  of  cloth  than  an  English  boy  of  fifteen 
would  make  out  of  £10  worth.  Therefore  when  I write 
of  a Congo  native,  whether  he  is  of  the  Bakongo,  Byyanzi, 
or  Bateke  tribes,  remember  to  associate  him  with  an  al- 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


393 


most  inconceivable  amount  of  shrewdness,  and  power  of 
indomitable  and  untiring  chaffer.” 

Stanley  felt  that  his  bargain  gave  him  no  room  for 
boasting.  Nature  and  the  natives  had  been  against 
him.  The  site  of  his  intended  city  was  as  barren  as 
possible.  As  it  was  amid  the  hills,  and  more  than  three 
hundred  feet  above  the  river,  he  trusted  it  would  be 
healthy.  The  event  proved  that  in  this  he  was  destined 
to  disappointment.  It  was  the  last  point  on  the  river 
where  a landing  could  be  effected,  and  therefore  nearest 
to  his  remaining  work.  These  conditions  had  compelled 
his  choice,  while  the  friendliness  of  the  neighboring  tribe 
invited  it 

The  first  work  was  to  grade  a road  from  the  landing 
along  the  steep  hill  side,  1,965  feet  to  the  new  city.  He 
divided  his  men  into  five  squads  and  set  them  to  work 
with  hoes,  picks,  crowbars  and  sledge-hammers.  The 
Yivi  chiefs  and  their  people  were  present,  and  looked  on 
with  interest  and  wonder.  An  offer  was  made  to  the 
natives  of  good  wages,  and  at  evening  a demijohn  of 
good  rum,  if  they  would  clear  the  rocks  and  grade  the 
terrace  for  the  new  town.  At  first  they  were  dumb  with 
astonishment ; then  they  went  bravely  to  work. 

Stanley  must  have  a garden,  but  the  new  site  was 
destitute  of  soil.  He  decided  to  excavate  an  oval  basin 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  forty  feet  wide  and 
eighteen  inches  deep  in  the  face  of  the  sterile  platform, 
and  fill  this  with  soil  brought  from  the  valley  below. 
Some  of  the  heavy  boulders  loosed  in  this  procedure 
had  to  be  broken  with  a sledge-hammer,  and  Mr.  Stanley 
taught  his  men  how  to  use  it.  The  natives  were  delighted 
with  his  success,  and.  named  him  Bula  Matari — Breaker 
of  Rocks,  and  by  that  name  he  is  now  known  far  into  the 
heart  of  the  continent. 


BULA  M ATARI. 


UP  mHE  CONGO. 


r )5 

This  shows  us  how  a very  large  proportion  of  names, 
both  in  civilized  and  in  the  savage  races,  have  originated. 
We  speak  of  the  noble  “red  man;”  he  terms  us  “ pale 
faces,”  And  so  peculiarities  and  oddities  give  names 
everywhere.  It  is  worth  remembering  in  this  connec- 
tion, that  the  Africans  call  Bishop  Taylor,  “ Old-white- 
man-well-digger-and-long-walker.” 

Every  evening  was  concluded  around  the  rum 
bucket.  Each  of  the  native  helpers  received  a glass  of 
grog  well  mixed  with  water.  The  manner  of  their  ac- 
ceptance proclaimed  their  appreciation.  At  this  in- 
teresting season  the  chiefs  lingered  near,  if  haply  they 
might  be  invited  to  take  a sip. 

The  garden  was  finished  and  planted  against  the 
future  with  mangoes,  oranges,  limes,  auveado  pears  and 
papaws  : for  the  impending  present,  with  onions,  lettuce, 
carrots,  parsnips,  turnips,  beets,  and  tomatoes.  Erelong 
it  was  a delight  to  the  eye  and  a comfort  to  the  stomach. 

A two-story  house  was  built  for  the  Lord  Mayor  of 
Yivi,  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  such  a dignitary  must 
probably  “ entertain,”  a cellar  was  constructed  beneath, 
and  filled  with  bottled  goods — wines,  beer,  and  liquors — 
and  with  tinned  provisions. 

Of  course  there  had  to  be  dwellings  for  the  residents 
of  the  new  town,  stores,  stables,  and  sheds.  The  work 
was  begun  the  last  of  September,  and  finished  the  last  of 
January.  Six  hundred  tons  of  stuff,  the  effects  of  the 
expedition,  were  brought  up  from  the  points  on  the  river 
below,  carried  up  the  steep  hill,  and  duly  arranged  and 
sheltered.  The  conclusion  of  the  founding  of  Yivi 
was  signalized  by  the  giving  of  gifts — four  yards  of  cloth 
and  three  pounds  of  good  beef  to  each  of  the  black  men, 
and  for  the  Europeans  a banquet  topped  off  with  Madeira 
wine.  Says  Stanley : 


396 


UP  THE  CONGO. 


“ Yivi  station  being  thus  completed,  and  in  excel- 
lent order,  was  a veritable  ornament  to  the  hitherto 
lonely  region.  Beautiful  in  situation,  and  with  its  snow- 
white  cottages  and  chalet  visible  from  afar,  the  joy  of 
all  Yivi  district,  I turned  it  over  formally  to  the 
guardianship  of  Mr.  Sparhawk,  its  future  chief,  who 
acted  as  my  principal  agent  in  the  Lower  River,  with  an 
expressed  hope  that  he  would  do  the  utmost  in  his  power 
for  the  perfection  of  the  roads  leading  to  the  landing- 
place  and  towards  the  interior. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


ROAD-MAKING  IN  AFRICA 


ON  the  21st  day  of  February,  Stanley,  with  a suf- 
ficient escort  set  out  to  explore  the  country  be- 
tween Vivi  and  Isangila,  to  treat  with  the  na- 
tives, and  to  secure  the  right  of  way.  The  distance  be- 
tween the  two  places  is  fifty-two  miles.  The  country  is 
a succession  of  hills  and  ravines  alternately  clothed 
with  bush,  or  with  dense,  tall  grass.  The  earlier  por- 
tion of  the  route  lay  along  the  banks  of  the  Congo, 
though  at  a distance  of  some  miles  from  the  river;  the 
last  thirty  miles  lay  immediately  along  its  right  bank. 
There  were  many  charming  prospects ; many  plateaus 
and  valleys  of  excellent  land.  A travel  of  about  twenty 
miles  through  a country  of  many  banzas,  or  villages, 
and  sustaining  a population  of  perhaps  twelve  to  the 
square  mile,  brought  the  party  to  the  village  of  De-de-de 
in  the  Nsanda  district.  The  singing,  jovial  De-de-de 
had  been  the  guide,  and  was  now  the  host  of  the  party. 
Next  to  Bula  Matari  he  was  the  great  one  of  the  occa- 
sion, and  like  more  civilized  men,  was  pleased  to  have  it 
so.  Thirty  chiefs  notified  and  invited  by  him  were 
present  from  the  surrounding  villages  for  the  purpose 
of  an  interview  with  the  white  “Mundele.”  They  came 
with  their  men-at-arms,  and  all  attired  in  their  best  ap- 
parel. De-de-de  himself  wore  a gray  coat  given  him  by 
Stanley  when  he  descended  the  Congo  in  1877,  and  the 

(397) 


398 


ROAD-MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


visiting  chiefs  were  commonly  attired  in  cast  off  clothes 
of  London  and  Paris  clubs,  and  of  English  and  French 
armies.  What  a grand  market  for  old  clothes  the  civil- 
ized world  may  yet  find  in  Africa. 

The  chiefs  came  with  presents  of  goats,  fowls  and 
bananas.  The  accumulation  presently  became  so  dif- 
ficult and  important  as  to  justify  its  being  sent  under 
convoy  to  Yivi. 

The  council  was  convened  with  due  decorum,  and 
the  Mundele,  in  an  impressive  speech,  made  known  his 
wishes.  It  was  substantially  a repetition  of  his  speech 
to  the  lords  of  Yivi,  which  has  been  already  given. 
The  chiefs  retired  to  a little  distance  from  the  village 
and  consulted.  If  oratorical  warmth  be  indicative  of 
difference  of  opinion,  then  the  council  at  first  might  not 
have  been  well  agreed,  though  they  were  in  the  conclu- 
sion. 

“They  expressed  themselves  very  well  pleased  with 
our  coming  into  the  country.  It  would  be  a good  thing 
to  the  country  that  a road  should  be  made.  No  chief 
had  any  objection  whatsoever  to  the  idea.  In  their  eyes 
the  coming  of  the  white  man  would  be  productive  of 
good — good  to  the  chiefs  and  people.  It  meant  trade, 
and  they  were  all  traders.  The  road  to  Boma  was  long, 
and  there  were  many  people  afraid  of  the  long  road,  and 
troubles  on  it.  If  trade  came  to  them.,  to  their  very 
doors,  they  would  all  be  pleased.  Therefore  the  pro- 
posed road  might  be  made  without  fear,  and  there 
would  nothing  further  be  charged  for  it ; after  the  white 
man  had  signed  a paper  for  each  chief,  giving  a little 
present  every  month  for  the  right,  the  road  would  be- 
come the  property  of  the  white  man.  If  it  led  through 
gardens,  or  fields,  or  villages,  and  there  was  no  better 
way  to  be  found,  then  the  owner  of  that  garden,  or  field, 


ROAD-MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


399 


or  village  should  say  fairly  what  amount  of  goods  he 
wanted  in  return  for  the  destruction  of  his  property ; and 
after  payment,  the  road  should  be  untouched  in  the  fu- 
ture, and  no  man  passing  by  it  shall  be  liable  to  pay 
anything.  Those  of  the  young  men  of  the  different  dis- 
tricts who  wished  to  make  any  money  by  work,  had  full 
permission  to  engage  themselves  for  as  long  as  they 
themselves  should  prefer.  There  would  be  no  trouble 
arising  from  that ; and  . when  the  wagons  came  into  a 
district,  then  every  district  should  send  help  to  haul  them 
through  until  they  shall  have  passed  by ; and  if  the  dis- 
trict has  not  people  enough,  then  the  neighboring  districts 
shall  assist;  and  for  the  matter  of  agreement  about 
keeping  the  peace,  that  might  remain  for  the  present 
until  the  road  was  made,  and  all  the  people  would  have 
time  to  know  Bula  Matari  as  their  friend.  ” 

It  was  now  Mr.  Stanley’s  turn  to  distribute  gifts  to 
the  thirty  chiefs — coats,  gay  woolen  shawls,  cotton  vel- 
vets, crimson  samlist,  cotton  handkerchiefs,  pieces  of 
unbleached  domestic,  a few  cutlasses,  knives,  swords, 
beads  for  the  women,  sundry  bottles  of  gin  for  the  thirs- 
ty— total  cost  150  in  English  gold.  A costly  showing, 
but  perhaps  the  fruit  would  justify  it  in  the  time  to  come. 

On  the  24th,  Mr.  Stanley  resumed  his  way,  guided 
by  a dozen  picked  men  from  the  Nsanda  villages.  As 
he  approached  Ngandu’s,  the  women  and  children  “lu- 
lu-lued  lustily,  ” and  at  the  verge  of  the  wilderness  be- 
yond they  parted  with  many  a good  wish  for  his  wel- 
fare. 

Before  the  day  was  done  Mr.  Stanley,  leaving  the 
most  of  his  men  at  Pig  camp,  beyond  Ngandu’s,  with  a 
select  party  turned  aside  to  get  a better  knowledge  of 
the  Inga  plateau.  It  was  a district  of  some  sixty 
square  miles  without  a single  human  inhabitant.  In- 


VI vj  STATION. 


ROAD-MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


401 


ternecine  wars  of  the  former  inhabitants  had  reduced  it 
to  a desert.  Antelopes,  buffaloes  and  elephants  were 
numerous.  Descending  a long  slope  clothed  with  an 
interminable  wood,  the  sun  went  down.  Out  of  the 
wood  they  escaped  at  length,  only  to  plunge  into  grass, 
tall  and  obstructive  as  a cane-brake.  A herd  track  was 
sought  and  found,  and  followed  until  it  all  went  out.  Man 
after  man  tried  to  break  a way  through  the  dense  grass, 
and  returned  exhausted.  Water  they  must  have ; then 
they  would  make  their  beds  in  the  grass  and  wait  for 
the  morning.  They  followed  a wise  lad  for  half  an  hour, 
till  another  wise  lad,  little  Mabruki,  who  had  two  years 
before  followed  Stanley  through  the  “Dark  Continent,” 
disputed  his  sagacity.  The  e was  something  of  a 
scrimmage,  and  Mabruki  passed  to  the  front,  to  show 
just  how  to  do  it.  He  hurls  himself  against  the  grass, 
and  upbraids  the  other  for  his  woeful  ignorance  of  Con- 
tinental traveling.  Suddenly  Mabruki  throws  himself, 
under  the  impulse  of  anger,  more  vigorously  than  ever, 
in  a fresh  assault  upon  the  grass,  when,  to  our  horror, 
he  disappeared  with  a gurgling  cry  in  a lengthy,  grave- 
like  fracture  of  the  earth. 

“Where,  oh,  where,  Maoruki  are  you  .gone?  Are 
you  hurt  or  dead?” 

“Here,”  cries  the  lad’s  voice  from  the  depths.  “I 
have  found  water,  but  I have  broken  my  gourd.” 

The  chasm  was  so  narrow  that  Mabruki  came  to 
the  bottom  on  his  feet  and  in  a pool  of  water.  Mabruki’s 
misfortune  determined  the  camping  place  for  the  night. 

Isangila,  the  destination  of  Bula  Matari  and  his 
party,  was  not  reached  until  the  first  week  in  March. 
Since  Stanley  came  down  the  Congo  thirty-two  months 
before,  the  chiefs  of  Isangila  had  maltreated  his  mule, 
broken  up  his  boat  to  get  the  copper  tacks  and  sold  his 


402 


ROAD-MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


flotilla  of  canoes.  But  now  they  came  to  meet  him, 
laden  with  food  and  palm  wine,  excusing  their  former 
rudeness  as  being  the  result  of  their  dense  ignorance. 
They  had  heard  how  he  had  built  a town  ‘ ‘bigger  than 
Boma ; how  the  chiefs  of  the  country  had  given  it  up  to 
the  white  man,  to  carve  it  out  into  little  bits  if  he  liked.5' 
How  “every  man  was  to  be  happy,  reveling  in  luxuries ; 
how  he  thought  of  the  building  of  other  towns  at  Isang- 
ila,  if  the  ch  efs  of  Isangila  were  wise  enough  not  to  re- 
fuse him  ground.”  Exhorted  by  the  Nsanda  natives  not 
to  be  foolish,  and  mightily  persuaded  by  Stanley’s  dis- 
tribution of  gifts,  such  as  are  known  to  be  dear  to  the 
heart  of  the  African,  they  were  not  long  in  assuring  to 
him  the  choice  of  any  inhabited  land  by  the  river — as 
much  as  he  might  wish — for  a town  and  for  field  and 
pasture. 

The  site  chosen  was  in  a grassy  plain  at  the  foot  of 
the  Isangila  hills.  Here  were  800  hundred  acres  of  red 
loam,  which  gave  promise  of  at  least  a vegetable  supply 
to  the  coming  colony  when  it  should  put  in  the  plough. 
From  Vivi  to  this  spot  a road  must  now  be  made  suffi- 
cient for  the  passage  of  wagons  sustaining  enormous 
loads.  To  begin  the  work,  Bula  Matari,  on  the  10th  of 
March,  turned  his  face  toward  Vivi. 

Leaving  at  Vivi  seventy-two  men  and  boys,  Mr. 
Stanley  had  106  at  his  disposal  for  road  making.  On 
the  18th  of  March  the  labor  began.  At  Loa  river,  a lit- 
tle way  back  of  Vivi,  his  first  camp  was  established  and 
provisioned.  Poles  with  streamers  at  the  top  were  used 
to  stake  out  the  way,  and  a line  "was.  stretched  to  mark 
the  course  through  the  tall,  dense  grass,  ten  to  fifteen 
feet  high.  Hoes,  axes,  crowbars  and  sledge-hammers 
were  the  principal  weapons,  and  by  night  a clean  road- 
way had  been  made,  fifteen  feet  wide  and  2,500  feet  long. 


ROAD -MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


403 


The  average  progress  for  the  first  section  of  twenty- 
two  miles  from  Yivi  to  the  bank  of  the  Congo,  was  about 
two-thirds  of  a mile  per  day.  On  the  25th  of  March, 
the  camp  was  at  Banza  Uvana,  nine  and  one-half  miles 
from  Yivi. 

In  this  village,  Stanley  saw  a double-headed  wooden 
image,  well  dressed  about  the  top  with  pieces  of  old  iron 
and  looking-glass,  and  two  wooden  idols  under  a shed 
doubtless  meant  for  a chapel.  These  were  the  great 
gods  of  this  African  city.  Lusalla,  the  chief,  kept  a 
'^dicine  man,  and  the  medicine  man  kept  a gourd,  and 
Jfp  gourd  kept  a few  pebbles.  This  medicine  man  was 
ju  oracle  to  surrounding  villages,  for  with  his  gourd 
and  pebbles  he  had  wrought  cures  and  wonders.  He 
was  obviously  not  a willing  impostor,  but  a devout  be- 
liever in  the  virtue  of  his  own  charms. 

The  route  pursued  was  at  no  time  more  than  eight 
or  nine  miles  from  the  Congo.  At  this  distance,  when 
the  wind  came  from  the  south,  could  plainly  be  heard 
the  roar  of  the  Yellalla  Falls.  The  great  river,  in  a 
course  of  five  or  six  miles,  falls  forty-five  feet.  The 
great  waters  broken  by  giant  obstructions,  rage  and  rush 
and  thunder  down  the  narrow  defile 

The  hippopotamus  proved  a valuable  assistant  to  the 
road -makers.  Out  from  fen  or  river  he  wanders  at  night 
to  a considerable  distance  in  quest  of  sugar  cane.  As  a 
civil  engineer,  he  comprehends  perfectly  the  value  of 
a light  grade  in  the  face  of  a heavy  load.  By  following 
his  beats,  when  they  led  in  the  right  direction,  the  road- 
makers  found  an  easier  task  and  a better  way. 

Three  weeks  after  the  work  began,  Mr.  Stanley  had 
thirty-four  natives  working  for  weekly  wages.  They 
learned  readily  to  muster  and  answer  their  names  at 
roll  call,  but  they  were  fonder  of  talk  than  of  work, 


404 


ROAD-MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


and  as  in  more  civilized  countries  it  was  found  that  “the 
master’s  eye  makes  the  horse  fat.”  A look,  however, 
from  Bula  Matari  was  enough  to  arrest  a reverie,  or 
stop  an  animated  controversy  in  the  middle.  The  most 
stubborn  yielded  when  a threat  was  made  to  remember 
their  indolence  on  pay  day. 

As  the  road  was  pushed  on  toward  the  Congo,  wild 
animals  became  comparatively  numerous.  Hartbeestes, 
kudus  and  buffaloes  furnished  the  party  with  some  good 
eating.  One  day  Mr.  Stanley  shot  what  he  took  to  be 
a ground-hog.  Parrots  were  Occasionally  heard  whist- 
ling in  the  trees,  wing- clappers  were  numerous  on  the 
prairie,  the  garrulous  jay  flitted  from  branch  to  branch, 
the  wild-pigeon’s  mournful  calls  were  incessant,  and  the 
drum-bird’s  alarming  notes  echoed  from  distant  woody 
hollows. 

Snakes  were  rather  numerous.  Spitting  snakes 
had  made  themselves  a nuisance  at  Yivi.  They  killed 
the  laying  hens,  swallowed  the  chicks,  got  under  the 
shelves  of  the  magazine  and  ejected  their  poison  to  the 
distance  of  six  feet  at  men  about  their  business.  When 
it  struck  an  eye,  it  occasioned  great  pain,  and  its  effects 
did  not  disappear  for  eight  or  ten  days.  Green  snakes 
coiled  in  the  trees  in  rocky  places,  whip  snakes  infested 
the  grass,  and  huge  pythons  the  water  courses. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  Camp  No.  11,  Makeya  Man- 
guba,  was  made  at  the  Congo,  twenty-two  and  one-half 
miles  from  Yivi.  Transportation  proved  more  difficult 
and  protracted  than  road-making.  Fifty-four  tons  of 
freight  had  to  be  moved,  and  this  required  all  available 
wagons  and  forces  to  journey  no  less  than  six  times  and 
return.  On  a single  wagon  was  sometimes  a load  of 
10,000  pounds.  Heavy  as  these  were,  they  must  be 
drawn  by  men,  regardless  of  grades  and  obstructions. 


ROAD-MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


405 


The  natives  assisted  this  work  with  a right  good  will,  at 
one  time  as  many  as  170  being  employed.  The  heat 
was  not  much  complained  of,  though  the  thermometer 
occasionally  meaouxoa  91  degrees  in  the  shade,  but 
when  it  sank  to  sixty-three  degrees,  men  and  animals 
not  exercising  shrank  and  shivered. 

Four  and  a half  months  had  brought  the  expedi- 
tion twenty-two  miles  nearer  to  Stanley  Pool — months 
they  were  not  only  of  arduous  toil,  but  of  desertion  and 
death.  The  captain  of  the  Belgique , the  engine  driver  - 
driver  of  the  Esperance , and  the  carpenter,  tired  of  the 
expedition  and  forsook  it.  Mr.  Moore,  weak  and  pros- 
trate, was  compelled  to  go.  Hulbert  Petit  died  soon 
after  reaching  Yivi ; Martin  Martinson,  one  of  the  best, 
found  a grave  at  Makeya  Manguba ; on  the  day  of  his 
death  Stanley  himself  became  ill  and  was  delirious  for  a 
week,  thus  threatening  final  disaster  to  the  expedition 
by  the  loss  of  its  leader. 

The  reader  may  be  interested  with  a specimen  of 
African  misdemeanor  and  African  justice.  Stanley, 
having  returned  with  the  last  loads  from  Yivi  to  Makeya 
Manguba,  was,  by  Mr.  Swinburne,  informed  that  Lutete, 
a chief  of  the  Banza  Lungu  Plateau,  had  come  into  the 
camp,  had  forbidden  the  sale  of  anything  to  a white  man. 
and  after  vilely  abusing  the  three  Europeans  in  the 
camp,  had  spit  in  their  faces.  The  story  was  fully  cor- 
roborated, yet  appeared  so  unreasonable  that  Mr.  Stan- 
ley was  loth  to  believe  it.  Presently,  however,  Mr. 
Swinburne  came  to  the  door  of  the  tent,  to  say  to  Stan- 
ley that  the  same  chief  was  but  just  now  arrived  from 
across  the  river,  and  was  beating  the  natives  whom  he 
found  selling  fowls  and  bananas  to  the  hungry  men  from 
Vivi.  As  he  was  laying  about  him  with  a staff,  Stanley 
seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  demanded ; “Who  are  you 


406 


BOAD-MAKING  IN  AFBICA. 


that  you  strike  people  in  my  camp  ? ” The  chief  raised 
his  hand  in  threatening  manner,  and  the  “ Breaker-of- 
Rocks  ” gave  him  a severe  slap  in  the  face.  The  chief 
rushed  to  seize  his  gun  in  the  hands  of  his  slave  gun- 
bearer,  but  before  he  could  do  it  Stanley’  cried,  “ Seize 
him,  boys ! ” The  boys  were  only  too  T/illing  to  obey, 
and  the  misdemeanant  found  himself  quickly  a prisoner, 
and  strongly  secured. 

His  men  were  told  to  depart  and  tell  the  senior 
chief  of  Banza  Lungu  that  Lutete  was  a prisoner,  and 
would  rerr  ji  so  till  a fine  was  paid  for  hir  maltreatment 
of  white  men,  and  his  attempt  to  shoot  tneir  leader. 

There  are  five  chiefs  of  every  tribe,  and  of  these,  one 
is  the  head  chief.  Native  custom  ordains  that  the  one 
who  commences  a quarrel,  if  a loser,  must  pay.  “This 
is  Fiote  law — Fiote  being  the  name  of  the  language  of 
the  Bakongo — and  Fiote  law  is  as  unchangeable  as  that 
of  the  Medes  and  Persians. 

“ The  senior  chief  arrived  the  next  day,  and  the 
witnesses  were  numerous.  The  decree  of  the  umpire 
was  against  the  prisoner,  and  the  fine  was  four  pigs, 
four  goats,  the  services  of  two  laborers,  whose  time  had 
been  paid  for  months  ago,  as  far  as  Isangila,  and  the 
employment  of  the  chief  himself  to  carry  three  letters 
one  after  another,  to  Yivi.  The  fine  was  religiously 
paid,  the  men  worked  well,  and . three  round  journeys 
were  made  to  Yivi  by  the  now  subdued  chief,  to  his  sub- 
sequent great  personal  benefit,  which  included  a total 
remission  of  the  fine  so  far  as  the  live  stock  was  con- 
cerned.” 

From  Makeya  Manguba  to  Isangila  is  thirty  miles ; 
the  time  consumed  in  making  a road  and  transporting  the 
effects  was  from  August  3,  1880,  to  February  21,  1881. 
Atone  time  the  road  led  through  a forest  of  beautiful  trees, 


ROAD -MAKING  IN  AFRICA. 


407 


teak,  guaiacum,  mahogany  and  bombax ; at  another  time 
it  was  over  the  Nyongena  Hill,  with  a grade  of  one  foot 


ORNAMENTAL  HEAD-DRESSES. 


in  four;  a few  hundred  yards  farther  it  lay  round 
Ngoma  Point,  a precipitous  hill  with  its  foot  in  the 
Congo. 


' ' • - 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


IT  was  Sunday,  the  7th  day  of  November.  Nyon- 
gena  Hill  had  been  triumphantly  surmounted, 
and  the  seemingly  impassable  Ngoma  loomed 
in  front.  Some  of  the  men  were  gone  in  quest  of  game, 
some  to  see  friends  in  the  neighboring  villages.  Stanley 
had  bathed,  dressed,  and  sat  down  to  read.  Lutete 
Kuna,  of  Nsanda,  came  in  haste  with  a piece  of  paper, 
on  which  was  traced  in  pencil  the  name  of  another 
great  explorer,  “Le  Comte  Savorgnan  de  Brazza,  En- 
seigne  de  Vaisseau”  “ I saw  him  at  the  village  of 
Ndambi  Mbongo,”  said  Lutete.  “ Francess,  he  tells  me 
he  is ; he  kept  firing  at  the  trees  with  a gun  that  shoots 
many  times.  Now,  Bula  Matari,  tell  me,  why  do  white 
men  shoot  at  trees?  Is  it  to  kill  the  bad  spirit  in 
them  ? ” 

“An  hour  later  the  French  gentleman  appears, 
dressed  in  helmet,  naval  blue  coat,  and  feet  encased  in 
brown  leather  bandage,  and  a following  of  fifteen  men, 
principally  Gabonese  sailors,  all  armed  with  Winchester 
repeating  rifles. 

“The  gentleman  is  tall  in  appearance,  of  very  dark 
complexion,  and  looks  thoroughly  fatigued.  He  is  wel- 
come, and  I invite  him  into  the  tent,  and  a dejeuner  is 
prepared  for  him.” 

De  Brazza  had  spent  three  years  on  the  river 

(408) 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


409 


Ogowai,  and  penetrated  only  three  hundred  miles  from 
the  coast.  He  had  returned  in  1878  to  Europe,  sick 
and  exhausted,  but  returning  to  the  Ogowai  in  1879,  he 
profited  by  past  experience.  The  tribes  who  had  hin- 
dered now  aided  him,  and  he  emerged  at  last  at  Stanley 
Pool.  Thence  turning  north,  and  traveling  parallel  with 
the  Congo,  and  at  a distance  of  about  thirty  miles  from 
it,  in  eighteen  days  he  came  to  Ndambi  Mbongo,  and 
learned  of  Stanley’s  presence  in  the  neighborhood. 
After  two  days  in  Stanley’s  camp,  he  departed  for  Yivi, 
and  thence,  via  Banana,  to  Gaboon. 

It  required  about  a month  to  pass  Ngoma  Point,  a 
distance  of  400  yards.  De  Brazza  had  decided  that 
the  time  required  would  be  six  months.  As  the  natives 
from  Isangila  saw  huge  rocks  pulled  by  block  and  tackle 
out  of  the  side  of  the  hill  and  laid  along  the  river’s 
edge,  and  others  broken  with  sledges,  or  blasted  with 
powder,  they  enthusiastically  confirmed  to  Stanley  his 
title  of  “ Bula  Matari,”  or  Breaker  of  Bocks.  Not  many 
princes  have  won  their  spurs  so  honorably. 

Eleven  months  after  leaving  Yivi,  the  expedition 
was  encamped  at  Isangila.  To  gain  fifty-two  miles 
there  had  been  a travel,  going  and  returning,  of  2,352 
miles. 

From  Little  Bapid  camp  Soudi  and  four  others 
were  sent  back  to  Yivi  with  orders  to  the  chief  there  to 
bring  up  the  European  mail.  At  Luazaza  Biver  they 
sighted  a small  herd  of  buffaloes,  and  Soudi,  “ who  had 
been  half  slaughtered  in  Ituru  in  1875,  swept  over 
Kalulu  Falls  in  1878,  and  had  been  captured  and  en- 
slaved for  a short  time  by  the  natives,  rashly  thought 
that  with  his  Snider  he  was  a match  for  any  animal, 
and  forthwith,  with  extreme  caution,  commenced  to 
stalk  one  of  the  herd.  When  within  what  he  supposed 


410 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


to  be  a safe  distance  for  a shot,  he  fired,  and  wounded 
the  buffalo.  Encouraged  by  seeing  him  fall,  Soudi 
rushed  up  to  sever  the  jugular,  since  without  this  cere- 
mony the  meat  would  have  been  unfit  for  a Moslem  to 
eat ; but  the  buffalo,  not  yet  dead,  on  seeing  its  enemy, 
charged,  and  tossed  him  into  the  air,  making  a mere 
plaything  of  him,  until  he  was  so  mangled  that  he  died 
soon  after  his  companions  came  up  to  him.” 

From  Isangila  to  Manyanga  the  expedition  pro- 
ceeded by  river.  There  were  several  rapids,  but 
none  of  them  impassable.  At  a suitable  point  a 
camp  was  established  on  the  bank,  and  thither  all 
the  effects  were  brought  from  the  last  camp  below, 
and  thence  to  another  camp  above.  The  distance  be- 
tween Isangila  and  Manyanga  is  eighty-eight  miles,  and 
was  accomplished  in  seventy  days.  On  the  morning  of 
May  1st,  1881,  the  camp  was  pitched  at  Manyanga,  140 
miles  above  Yivi,  and  250  miles  from  the  ocean. 

The  trough  of  the  Congo  between  Isangila  and 
Manyanga  is  neither  grand  nor  beautiful ; rather,  it  is 
unlovely,  naked,  dreary.  The  hills  at  one  time  are  in- 
clined to  recede ; anon  they  press  the  stream ; now  their 
heads  subside,  and  again  they  rise  to  the  height  of  600 
or  1,000  feet  above  the  river.  There  is  a monotony  of 
rusty  hills,  scattered,  scrubby  trees,  boulders  and  gul- 
lies. The  loneliness  is  increased  by  the  absence  of 
human  habitations.  But  from  the  summit  of  the  bluffs 
backward  there  are  stretches  of  prairie,  groves,  and 
villages,  fertile  soil,  and  population  enough. 

When  a camp  was  placed,  the  natives  in  the  vicinity 
came  to  market  their  bananas,  melons,  cassava  bread, 
palm  wine,  goats,  fowls,  pigs  and  eggs,  and  were  never 
^wanting  in  kind  demeanor  to  the  white  strangers  from 
[the  sea. 


41$ 


BLOW  PROGRESS. 


A few  words  from  Mr.  Stanley  will  show  the  condi- 
tion and  feeling  of  his  men  at  this  time : 

“On  the  27th  of  April  we  were  all  gathered  to- 
gether at  Ndunga  Rapids,  in  the  gusty,  windy  trough  where 
the  Congo  is  pent  in  between  steep  and  sterile  slopes, 
which  show  not  the  slightest  trace  of  humanity.  Were 
it  not  for  the  all-absorbing  duties  which  require  atten- 
tion from  the  gray  dawn  to  darkness,  we  should  long 
ago  have  surrendered  to  the  depression  which  such  bleak 
and  dreary  scenes  are  well  calculated  to  produce.  Those 
less  interested,  or  those  whose  minds  were  not  so  fully 
occupied  as  my  own,  have  long  been  victims  to  shiver- 
ing and  chill  attacks  and  fever.  Neve,  the  engineer,  has 
been  seriously  ill ; the  two  military  officers  have  suffered 
lapses,  one  after  another ; young  Albert  has  been  seen 
with  his  eyes  less  bright;  Flamini  more  melancholy 
than  ever.  Only  Captain  Anderson  and  myself  have  as 
yet  been  proof  against  the  malignant  influences  prevail- 
ing in  the  gloomy  trough  of  the  Congo.  It  is  past  eight 
o’clock  in  the  morning  when  the  sun  lights  up  the  river’s 
somber  face ; at  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  the  sun- 
shine has  gone.  Then  the  winds  blow  chilly,  the 
shadows  become  deeper,  a gray  spectral-like  solemnity 
steals  over  the  gorge,  and  from  a light  bronze,  reflect- 
ing numberless  gleams  and  sparkles,  the  river  has  as- 
sumed a dull,  black  hue.  All  of  these  aspects  combined 
might  well  serve  to  intensify  suicidal  thoughts  in  diseased 
imaginations.” 

The  Ndunga  people  came  down  from  the  hill-tops 
with  treasures  of  good  things  for  hungry  men ; and  when 
the  market  was  ended,  the  young  men  and  maidens 
gave  a specimen  of  a Ndunga  dance.  There  was  leap- 
ing and  prancing,  vigorous  and  earnest.  At  the 
conclusion  they  joined  hands  and  formed  a circle. 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


413 


u Two  detached  themselves  from  the  crowd  without,  and 
entered  the  circle;  the  youngest  climbed  up  on  the 
shoulders  of  his  companion,  unsheathed  a sharp  knife, 
and  then  led  out  a loud  chorus.  When  the  chorus  sang  out 
loudest,  each  time  he  drew  the  knife’s  edge  down  the 
length  of  his  tongue  until  the  blood  began  to  drip,  and 
his  j aws  were  covered  with  blood.  Higher  and  higher  sang 
the  chorus,  quicker  and  quicker  revolved  the  circle,  and 
more  frantic  and  daring  became  the  bloody-tongued 
youngster,  until  fearing  that  they  might  lose  all  control 
over  themselves,  the  signal  to  stop  was  given,  and  the 
dancers  were  made  happy  with  gifts.  When  the  self- 
mutilated  youngster  had  washed  himself,  he  seemed 
none  the  worse  for  his  extraordinary  excitement.” 

Manyanga  marks  the  end  of  the  second  stage  of 
progress  toward  Stanley  Pool.  Just  above  it  is  the 
cataract  of  Ntombo  Mataka,  impassable  to  boats.  The 
scene  around  Manyanga  is  cheerless  and  unlovely.  The 
hills  on  each  side  are  steep — almost  precipitous,  desti- 
tute of  soil  and  verdure,  save  in  the  depths  of  narrow 
ravines,  where  there  are  dark  lines  of  trees.  But  along 
the  right  bank  of  the  river  below  the  cataract  there  was 
a fertile  piece  of  land  a mile  long,  and  from  eighty 
to  three  hundred  yards  wide.  There  was  a favorable 
landing,  and  close  by,  a perennial  brook  which  promised 
water  to  drink.  The  chiefs  Nakussa  and  Luamba  came 
with  liberal  offers  of  palm  wine,  receiving  in  turn  coats, 
cloths,  knives,  etc.  They  were  scarcely  cordial,  but 
said,  if  the  white  men  wished  to  occupy  there  for  a time, 
there  was  no  objection.  Here  then,  at  the  end  of  four 
hundred  and  thirty-six  days  from  Yivi,  Bula  Matari  and 
his  expedition  were  found  encamped,  having  averaged  a 
little  more  than  a third  of  a mile  for  each  day  since  the 
journey  began. 


414 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


Four  days  after  arrival  at  Manyanga  Stanley  was 
feverish.  Two  days  later  he  was  ill  in  bed,  and  the 
Manyanga  chiefs,  who  had  come  at  his  request  to  treat 
with  him,  had  to  return  without  an  interview.  On  the 
9th  of  May  he  was  attacked  with  nausea,  while  the  fever 
burned  without  intermission.  Thinking  the  terrace  on 
which  they  were  encamped  too  close,  he  had  his  tent 
transferred  to  the  summit  of  a hill  two  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  above  the  river.  Eight  days  after  the  begin- 
ning of  the  attack  he  took  twenty  grains  of  quinine,  and 
soon  lost  consciousness;  returning  to  thought  after 
hours,  he  felt  that  he  was  extremely  weak,  and  fearing 
another  attack,  took  thirty  grains  of  the  same  medicine. 
For  six  days  longer  the  fever  held,  with  brief  remissions 
each  day,  during  which  he  realized  how  sick  and  weak 
he  was,  and  that  he  was  almost  alone  on  the  hill-top, 
with  little  Mabruki  and  Dualla  to  attend  him.  On  the 
fourteenth  day  he  was  not  able  to  turn  himself  in  bed. 
He  was  now  taking  fifty  grains  of  quinine  at  a dose. 
Mr.  Stanley  may  speak  for  himself. 

“ On  the  20th  of  May,  about  7 a.  m.,  my  sickness 
and  weakness  seemed  to  have  approached  a climax.  As 
soon  as  I woke  to  clearness  of  mind,  and  realized  the 
dreadful  prostration  of  my  body,  a presentiment  pos- 
sessed me  that  I should  die.  Weaker  than  this,  and  pos- 
sessing powers  of  speech  and  thought,  I doubted  whether 
any  man  could  possibly  be,  with  which  idea  came  the 
thought  that  the  crisis  had  arrived,  and  that  death  was 
not  far  off.  Then  came  an  urgent  desire  to  pay  the  last 
offices  of  friendship  and  regard,  if  little  Mabruki  would 
hasten  to  call  up  the  people — Europeans  and  Zanzibaris 
— to  me.  Dualla,  meantime,  has  weighed  out  sixty 
grains  of  quinine,  over  which  he  has  dropped  a few 
minims  of  hydrobromic  acid,  and  poured  an  ounce  of 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


415 


Madeira  wine,  which  he  must  deliver  between  my  lips ; 
for,  if  all  the  world  were  given  to  me,  I could  not  lift  the 
glass  unaided. 

“ Like  lightning  the  potent  medicine  courses  through 
my  veins.  I feel  its  overpowering  influence  stealing 
rapidly  over  my  fast  bewildering  senses,  and  1 beg 
Dualla  to  hasten  up  the  people  before  it  will  be  too  late. 

“ In  a short  time  there  is  a rush  of  many  feet 
around  the  tent.  The  walls  of  the  tent  are  lifted  up. 
I can  see  a bright,  yet  cold  sunshine  on  the  semi-circular 
rows  of  seated  forms  around.  My  European  comrades 
advanced  to  the  foot  of  the  bed,  and  I struggled  hard  to 
recall  my  fleeing  senses,  to  address  and  advise  them 
what  to  do  when  all  should  be  over.  My  thoughts 
seemed  to  be  distracted  between  my  strong  desire  to  say 
something  intelligible,  and  a strange,  penitent  brooding 
over  a hallowed  grave  somewhere  which  drew  nearer  and 
nearer  to  me,  while  in  the  far  distance  there  burned  a great 
white  light,  whose  bright,  glowing  globe  attracted  me 
despite  my  utmost  efforts  to  concentrate  my  attention 
on  the  silent  and  expectant  throng.  Again  and  yet 
again  I strove  strenuously  to  utter  the  words  that  my  lips 
would  not  frame. 

“ ‘ Look  well  at  me,  Albert !’  I cried.  ‘Do  not  move. 
Fasten  your  eyes  on  me  that  I may  tell  you.’ 

“ And  the  young  sailor  whose  hand  clasped  mine 
fixed  his  eyes  steadily  on  mine,  to  enable  me  to  conquer 
the  oppressive  drowsiness,  and  the  sentence  was  at  last, 
after  many  efforts,  delivered  clearly  and  intelligently,  at 
which  I felt  so  relieved  from  my  distress  that  I cried 
out,  ‘ I am  saved  ! ’ Then  suddenly  a dark  cloud  came 
over  me,  the  perception  of  the  scene  faded  away,  and 
oblivion  which  lasted  many  hours  shut  out  the  sense  of 
things. 


416 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


“ When  I woke  next  day  I found  that  I had  lain 
twenty-four  hours  in  one  position,  for  my  weakness  was 
so  great  that  unaided  I could  not  have  moved.  My 
back  seemed  to  be  palsied,  and  bed-sores  tormented  me, 
but  on  awakening  I little  recked  of  these  things.  I felt 
a desire  to  eat,  and  a repugnance  to  medicine.  I aban- 
doned all  idea  of  contesting  the  influences  of  the  fever 
further.  I was  ready  without  further  care  to  submit  to 
the  inevitable ; but  I would  eat ; Mabruki’s  astonishment 
was  very  great  when  I asked  him  for  soup.  M.  Bracon- 
nier,  being  called  by  my  little  servant,  recommended 
potage,  and  was  good  enough  to  assist  Mabruki  in  its 
preparation.  In  an  hour  or  so  the  boys  were  called  upon 
for  some  more,  and  an  incipient  voracity  was  noticeable. 

“ Hours  glided  by,  and  the  fever  did  not  return,  there- 
fore more  soup  was  demanded.  M.  Braconnier  warned 
me  to  be  careful,  but  Dualla  and  Mabruki  did  not  heed 
his  warning.  Unprincipled  youths ! They  smuggled 
into  my  tent  various  little  luxuries  picked  up  somewhere, 
and  the  stomach  was  untiring  in  its  powers  of  digestion/’ 

On  the  5th  of  June  came  Mr.  Lindner,  sent  out  by 
the  Association.  He  brought  with  him  twenty -four  men 
from  Zanzibar,  some  of  Stanley’s  old  comrades,  and  re- 
ported forty-four  more  behind  at  Vivi.  This  was  to  the 
feeble  convalescent  joy  and  assurance  of  final  success. 
By  the  12th  of  June  he  was  so  far  recovered  as  to  begin 
his  preparations  for  progress  towards  Stanley  Pool. 
From  the  Manyanga  chiefs  was  obtained  a cession  of 
land  with  the  requisite  privileges  ; the  ground  was  leveled 
and  prepared  for  occupation ; timber  for  the  requisite 
buildings  was  brought  from  a wooded  gorge  not  far 
away;  a strong  magazine  was  erected,  with  corrugated 
iron  walls  and  port-holes  for  musketry  in  case  of  attack ; 
new  tents  were  made  from  canvas  to  take  the  place  of 


SLOW  PROGRESS 


41t 


the  old,  now  rotten;  the  wagons  were  repaired,  and  a 
road  fifteen  feet  wide  and  six  miles  long  was  constructed 
past  the  cataract  to  reach  the  navigable  river  above. 
Six  weeks  were  consumed  in  these  preparations. 

Herr  Lindner  speedily  demonstrated  his  fitness  for 
any  service.  But  almost  simultaneous  with  the  coming 
of  one  helper  another  was  taken  away.  Paul  Neve,  en- 
gineer of  th eEn  Avant , died  of  a bilious  fever  at  Isangila 
on  the  26th  of  June.  On  the  14th  of  July  came  Mr. 
Louis  Yalcke  and  two  Germans,  an  engineer  and  a 
clerk,  bringing  good  news  of  the  conditions  at  Yivi  and 
Isangila.  On  the  15th  a forward  movement  was  com- 
menced at  daylight,  two  hundred  and  ten  natives  assist- 
ing, and  by  the  evening  of  the  19th  the  expedition  and  its 
effects  had  been  advanced  six  miles,  and  the  boats 
launched  on  the  Congo  above  the  cataract. 

Leaving  Herr  Lindner  to  transport  everything  by 
water  to  Mpakambendi,  sixteen  miles  above,  Stanley  de- 
termined with  Messrs.  Yalcke,  Braconnier  and  one  other 
to  go  forward  by  land,  acquaint  himself  with  the  natives 
and  the  country,  and  make  arrangements  for  the  final 
establishment  at  Stanley  Pool. 

Having  traveled  nine  miles  over  a high  country  in- 
terrupted by  hills  and  gullies  and  deep  stony  streams, 
they  camped  at  Mungala  in  a lovely  basin  nestling  cosily 
in  the  midst  of  tall  trees.  The  next  day  they  traversed 
a still  rougher  country,  across  a series  of  lofty  ridges, 
separated  by  as  many  streams,  which  flowed  through 
cool,  forested  gorges,  and  arrived  at  Mpakambendi. 
The  third  day’s  march  was  through  a country  where  the 
land  rose  and  fell  in  gentle,  broadly-spreading  waves 
separated  by  wide  valleys,  at  the  bottom  of  which  small 
streams  of  clear  water  smoothly  flowed.  The  altitude 
was  twenty-one  thousand  feet.  The  people  were  almost 


418 


SLOW  PROGRESS. 


enthusiastic  in  their  kindness.  The  fourth  day  led  them 
past  “ palmy  Mowa,  over  a healthy  country,”  past  the 
village  of  Nzabi,  where  crowds  entreated  them  to 
stay  and  barter  cloth  for  fowls  and  palm  wine,  to  the 
bank  of  the  Inkisi  River.  The  fifth  day  was  across  a 
country  “very  rough,”  but  “marvelously  rich,”  with 
little  evidences  of  cultivation,  but  abundant  food,  and 
natives  eager  to  trade.  The  next  day  was  across  a 
smoother  country.  They  crossed  the  Lubamba  River, 
forty  yards  wide,  and  swift,  by  a ferry.  Here  was  a 
large  number  of  carriers  and  traders  awaiting  their  turn 
to  cross.  In  the  confusion  and  crowd  a boy  fell  into  the 
river  and  was  drowned,  and  when  no  one  seemed  to 
know  how  to  recover  the  body,  one  of  Stanley’s  men 
dived  and  brought  it  up.  It  was  received  in  solemn 
silence,  but  without  thanks.  The  day’s  travel  ended  at 
the  Mukoso  River.  The  seventh  day  they  marched 
eleven  miles  over  a picturesque  and  “wonderfully 
fertile  country.”  “ Grand  sweeps  of  land,  bountifully 
watered  by  clear  streams,  well  wooded,  and  giving 
valuable  promise  to  future  comers,  met  the  eager  gaze 
from  every  ridge  and  uplift  of  surface.”  The  following 
day  a march  of  fourteen  miles  over  a flat,  boggy  country 
brought  them  to  the  village  of  Bwabwa  Njali,  who  derives 
importance  and  revenue  through  his  ferry  over  the  Gor- 
don Bennett,  which  flows  close  by,  east  of  his  village. 

Of  this  chief,  the  reader  will  be  pleased  with  Stan- 
ley’s description:  “He  is  an  actor — that  is,  he  is  a 

man  who  affects  to  be  what  he  is  not.  Polite  to  his 
guests — let  them  come  as  often  as  they  may — from  the 
moment  he  makes  anybody’s  acquaintance  he  commences 
a systematic  approach  to  their  affections,  with  the  view  to 
their  spoliation.  He  presents  himself  to  you  as  one  who 
is  as  vain  as  a woman  and  as  frivolous  as  a child ; but 


BLOW  PROGRESS. 


419 


contrives  before  yon  have  finally  parted  from  him  to  im- 
press you  with  the  fact  that  he  is  an  unprincipled  rogue. 
It  is,  ‘My  brother,  what  is  this?  My  brother,  what  is 
that?  Ah,  truly,  my  brother!  Put  it  away,  good 
brother.  Really  now,  has  my  brother  come  to  see.  the 
country?  Dear,  good  brother!  Yerily,  a brother  of 
brothers ! My  own  true  brother ! ’ And  thus  he 
purrs  continually  around  one,  his  eyes  wandering  to 
every  part  of  your  person  and  belongings. 

“ And  such  state  as  he  surrounds  himself  with  on 
a stranger’s  arrival ! A lion  skin— a real  libn  skin — is 
spread  out,  a fat  crimson  bolster  is  in  place  of  a chair 
of  state,  and  a circle  of  respectable  principals  are  seated 
around.  While  you  are  seated  expectant  of  his  appear- 
ance, Bwabwa  Njali  is  touching  himself  up  before  a score 
of  looking-glasses  hanging  around  the  walls  of  his  house, 
straightening  a hair  here,  giving  another  dab  of  ochre 
on  his  cheeks  and  forehead,  a streak  of  yellow  under  one 
eye,  a line  of  white  under  the  other,  the  ridge  of  his  nose 
colored  still  darker  with  powdered  charcoal,  a loving  tap 
on  his  chignon,  a smoothe  of  a crease  in  his  red  blanket, 
and  lo ! Bwabwa  Njali  emerges  into  view.” 

Leaving  Bwabwa  Njali,  they  marched  six  miles  to 
Mfwa,  a village  of  grass  huts  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
people — Bateke  ivory  traders.  With  these  the  traders 
spent  a social  evening.  In  the  morning,  however,  a hint 
was  given  that  food  was  scarce,  and  that  the  travelers 
would  better  go  to  the  village  of  Malima,  two  hours’ march 
higher  up  the  river.  Here  they  found  about  fifty  huts, 
and  about  four  hundred  By-yanzi  ivory  traders  from  the 
Upper  Congo — strapping,  broad-chested,  rather  yellowish 
fellows,  to  whom  the  Bateke  appeared  black  as  ink. 
They  made  an  unusual  display  of  short  swords  of  curious 
design  and  workmanship.  Gamankowo,  the  chief  o* 


LION  IN  CAMP. 


BLOW  PROGRESS. 


421 


Malima,  received  Stanley  and  his  followers  kindly,  but 
on  the  following  morning  kindness  had  given  place  to 
mistrust.  This  was  the  work  of  Malameen,  the  black 
Gabonese  agent  of  De  Brazza,  who  had  gotten  from  Ma- 
koko,  chief  of  Mbe,  the  cession  of  this  district  to  France. 
Stanley  was  sent  away  to  Ngalyema,  chief  of  Ntamo,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Congo.  To  the  hither  bank  of  the 
river,  therefore,  Stanley  marched  and  made  his  camp  by 
Ngalyema’s  direction. 

Throughout  this  region  was  a fair  supply  of  game, 
the  natives  not  being  very  mighty  hunters.  Most  Afri- 
can animals  abound  in  the  Lower  Congo  valley.  But 
the  rhinoceros  is  seldom  met,  and  the  lion  is  not  so 
common  as  in  many  other  parts  of  Africa.  This  latter 
animal  is  not  greatly  to  be  feared  in  any  locality,  save 
when  sorely  pressed  by  hunger.  Then  he  may  invade 
a village  or  a camp  by  night,  to  carry  off  what  he  may 
find.  But  in  the  daytime,  he  seldom  or  never  lingers  near 
the  haunts  of  men,  and  is  no  such  ravager  as  the  Ben- 
gal tiger. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


A CRISIS  REACHED 


0 help  came  from  Ntamo,  and  Stanley’s  supplies 
| § would  go  no  further.  August  1st,  the  next  day 
after  encamping  at  the  river’s  side,  he  sent  thirty 
men  to  Bwabwa  Njali  with  beads  and  cloth,  to  purchase 
food.  They  obtained  only  enough  to  last  one  day.  Re- 
turning the  next  day  to  ask  for  more,  Bwabwa  Njali 
refused  to  ferry  them  across,  menaced  them  with  mus- 
kets, and  threatened  massacre  if  they  did  not  leave 
the  country  in  a day  or  two. 

On  the  2nd  of  August  Ngalyema  came  from  Ntamo, 
accompanied  by  the  chiefs  Makabi,  Mubi,  old  Ngako, 
and  four  others.  Stanley  recognized  him  as  a man 
whom  he  had  met  under  the  name  of  Itsi,  in  1877,  and 
with  whom  he  had  made  blood  brotherhood.  The 
present,  therefore,  proved  to  be  a fraternal  occasion. 
Says  Stanley:  “Ngalyema  was  my  brother,  of  course, 
but  Makabi  must  have  a brother.  Mubi  is  eager  to  pos- 
sess one ; old  Ngako  presses  hard  on  me  to  secure  him 
one;  Enjeli,  son  of  Ngalyema,  chooses  my  servant  Du- 
alla,  and  Gauchu  pounces  upon  little  Mabruki.  Indeed, 
we  soon  find  that  the  desire  for  fraternity  has  become 
universal.  We  are  in  such  straits  for  food,  and  for 
some  definite  landed  settlement  on  the  south  bank, 
that  we  are  as  yielding  and  pliable  as  they  could 
wish.”  There  were  gifts  of  goats,  pigs,  and  a few 

(422) 


A CRISIS  REACHED. 


4iS 

loaves  of  bread,  and  gourds  of  palm  wine,  and  then,  as 
often  in  more  civilized  countries,  Stanley  began  to  find 
his  kinfolks  something  of  a nuisance. 

“ My  brother,  being  the  supreme  lord  of  Ntamo,  as 
well  as  the  deepest-voiced  and  most  arrogant  rogue  of 
the  tribe,  first  demanded  the  two  asses,  then  a large 
mirror,  which  was  succeeded  by  a splendid  gold  em- 
broidered coat,  jewelry,  glass  clasps,  long  brass  chains, 
a figured  table-cloth,  fifteen  other  pieces  of  fine  cloth, 
and  a japanned  tin  box  with  a Chubb  lock.  Finally, 
gratified  by  such  liberality,  Ngalyema  surrendered  to 
me  his  scepter,  which  consisted  of  a long  staff,  banded 
profusely  with  brass,  and  decorated  with  coils  of  brass 
wire,  which  was  to  be  carried  by  me,  and  shown  to  all 
men  as  a sign  that  I was  the  brother  of  Ngalyema  of 
Ntamo.” 

Ngalyema  departed,  but  on  the  6th  of  August  the 
beggar  came  again.  This  time  he  wanted  a large 
japanned  tin  box,  and,  not  pieces,  but  whole  bolts 
of  the  finest  cloths.  His  request  was  honored  to  the 
value  of  ten  pounds,  when  he  departed,  to  consult  his 
brother  chiefs  with  reference  to  Stanley’s  founding  a 
settlement  at  his  place. 

On  the  11th  he  returned.  The  natives,  he  said, 
had  consulted,  but  were  undecided.  The  Bazombo  and 
Bakongo  traders  were  jealous,  and  opposed  to  white 
men,  who  would  undersell  them.  However,  the  chiefs 
said,  “Give  us  ten  of  your  black  people  who  will  be- 
have themselves,  and  do  you  return  to  your  people,  and 
cross  the  river  to  the  south  bank,  and  come  up  to  us  in 
that  way.  By  the  time  you  arrive  near  Kintamo  our 
people  will  have  had  time  to  consider  whether  it  would 
not  be  better,  after  all  to  have  you  with  us.” 

As  there  was  nothing  else  to  be  done,  Stanley  de- 


424 


A CRISIS  REACHED, 


tailed  Susi  (Livingstone’s  head  man),  with  nine  other 
Zanzibaris,  and  sent  them  with  tools,  and  fifteen  loads 
of  goods  to  Ntamo,  to  stay  till  the  expedition  should 
reach  that  place  by  the  south  bank. 

Ngalyema  had,  in  the  last  few  days,  been  a bene- 
ficiary to  the  amount  of  £21(Hn  goods,  two ''asses  and 
a Newfoundland  dog.  It  may  be  suspected  that  talents 
such  as  his  had,  in  previous  days,  not  gone  unrewarded. 
Susi  found  him  worth  £1800  in  ivory  alone,  and  that 
his  total  marketable  goods,  exclusive  of  slaves,  could 
not  be  less  than  £3000. 

To  propitiate  chiefs  of  this  sort  would  require  mere 
and  better  goods  than  Stanley  possessed.  Accordingly 
Lieut.  Yalcke  was  sent  to  St.  Paul  de  Loanda  with 
£500,  to  purchase  silks,  velvets,  fine  flannel,  and  crim- 
son cloth,  while  Stanley  returned  to  meet  Mr.  Lindner 
and  the  expedition  at  Mpakambendi.  He  found  the 
goods  stored  on  the  plateau,  and  the  steamers  at  the 
landing  place.  Mr.  Lindner  was  now  sent  back  to  es- 
tablish a station  on  the  south  bank  at  Manyanga.  A 
portion  of  the  men  were  detailed  to  make  a road,  and 
the  rest  to  bring  up  the  wagons,  and  the  expedition  be- 
gan to  move  toward  Stanley  Pool  at  the  rate  of  more 
than  a mile  a day. 

The  road  now  lay  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Congo. 
The  country  was  covered  with  grass,  save  where 
groves,  planted  and  protected  by  the  natives,  marked 
the  site  of  their  villages.  Some  of  these  groves  might 
be  200  years  old,  showing  that  during  all  these  years  a 
village  had  been  there,  as  otherwise  the  annual  burning 
of  the  grass  would  have  encroached  upon  and  destroyed 
it.  On  the  18th  of  September  the  expedition  was  again 
launched  on  the  river  to  avoid  a terribly  broken  country 
to  the  east  of  the  Inkisi  River.  On  the  11th  of  October 


A CRISIS  REACHED. 


425 


they  turned  again  to  the  south  bank  and  landed  in  the 
Kinsende  district. 

Four  days  later  came  Susi  with  his  men  from  Kin- 
tamo.  Ngalyema  had  protected  them  at  first,  but  some 
traders  came  from  Zombo  and  inquired  the  meaning  of 
their  presence  in  Kintamo,  and  learning  that  Ngalyema 
had  invited  a white  man  with  his  people  to  settle 
there  they  said,  “It  will  be  no  place  for  trade  for  us  if 
the  white  man  comes.”  The  rest  may  be  told  in  the 
words  of  Susi: 

“They  left  Kintamo,  and  went  to  the  Wambundu, 
the  real  owners  of  the  country — for  Ngalyema  himself 
has  no  country.  What  he  has  been  saying  to  you  about 
his  being  a big  king,  and  all  that,  is  boasting.  The 
Wambundu,  not  having  seen  any  white  man,  were 
frightened,  and  came  storming  to  Ngatyema,  asking, 
‘Is  this  the  way  you  behave,  after  we  gave  you 
ground  to  live  on  and  trade,  that  you  take  upon  your- 
self to  say  who  shall  come  into  the  country?  Very 
well ; we  shall  kill  your  trade,  your  markets  shall  be 
closed,  and  you  shall  die  of  hunger.’  For  several  days 
there  was  no  market,  and  the  people  began  to  suffer  for 
want  of  food.  Then  Ngalyema’s  chiefs  and  great  men 
came  to  him,  and  insisted  that  we  should  be  sent  away ; 
otherwise  they  would  go  and  live  at  Kinshassa. 

“Ngalyema  stood  alone  against  them  for  a few 
days  more,  but  it  was  clear  to  us  that  he  would  have  to 
yield  before  long.  We  had  not  long  to  wait.  He  said 
to  us  one  day,  ‘ You  must  go  back  to  your  father.  Take 
the  goods  and  the  asses  with  you.  I send  the  asses  be- 
cause they  have  a great  name,  and  much  of  this  trouble 
has  arisen  because  of  them.’  Then  I said,  ‘ Our  father 
gave  us  fifteen  loads  here,  and  we  are  but  eleven  men ; 
how  can  we  carry  them  all  ? ’ He  replied,  ‘ That  is 


A CRISIS  REACHED. 


426 

nothing  to  me.  Do  you  not  see  that  the  country  will 
die  if  you  stay  here  longer  ? Go  and  tell  your  father 
not  to  come  on  this  side,  but  to  return  and  build  with 
Bwabwa  Njali.’  He  put  us  in  a canoe,  and  we  traveled 
from  Kintamo  here,  having  paid  seven  pieces  of  cloth 
to  that  wicked  Bwabwa  Njali. — I have  ended.” 

It  was  a comfort  to  learn  that  Ngalyema,  who  sent 
them  away,  did  not  own  the  country ; that  he  was  only 
a rich  Mteke  ivory-trader  with  numerous  slaves,  one  of 
many  like  him  in  the  territory  of  the  Wambundu.  The 
Wambundu  would  perhaps  favor  the"  white  man  when 
he  should  speak  for  himself;  in  their  recent  action  they 
had  been  influenced  by  jealous  Bakongo  and  Bazombo 
traders  from  the  coast.  The  expedition  was  therefore 
ordered  to  move  forward. 

The  route  was  over  plateaus  and  gorges  and  beauti- 
ful streams.  Provisions  were  abundant,  and  the  natives 
were  kind.  The  slow  progress  gave  opportunity  for  ac- 
quaintance, and  the  natives  were  quick  to  comprehend 
the  motives  of  the  Bazombo  traders  who  had  spoken  so 
unfavorably  of  the  white  men. 

Since  leaving  Kinsende,  Stanley  had  heard  much 
of  old  Makoko,  a chief  who  by  reason  of  his  age  and 
rank  was  deferred  to  by  all  the  chiefs  from  Kinsende  to 
Kintamo,  while  next  to  him  in  rank  were  Ngamberengi 
and  Kimpalampala.  Their  country  extended  from  the 
Inkisi  river  to  Kintamo,  a distance  of  forty-five  miles, 
and  was  occupied  by  the  Wambundu,  called  also  Ban- 
fumu,  or  Freemen.  Makoko  had  at  first  forbidden  his 
people  to  sell  food  to  the  white  men,  but  later  had 
thought  more  favorably  of  them,  and  countermanded 
the  order. 

On  the  6th  of  November  Stanley  was  encamped  at 


A CRISIS  REACHED. 


427 


Usansi,  on  an  eastern  spur  of  lyumbi  Mountain,  and 
not  a thousand  yards  from  the  village  of  Makoko. 

On  the  7th  Makoko  came  accompanied  by  Bakongo 
and  Bazombo  ivory  traders.  These  were  business  men 
newly  arriven  from  the  coast,  and  who  accompanied 
Makoko  on  the  present  occasion  through  curiosity.  Stan- 
ley and  Makoko  had  heard  of  each  other  daily  for  weeks ; 
meanwhile  the  conviction  had  grown,  upon  Stanley’s 
mind  that  Makoko  was  to  decide  the  future  of  the  Congo 
State.  Mr.  Stanley  says : — 

“ One  look  at  Makoko  satisfied  me  that  he  was  not 
going  to  be  a stern  opponent.  Such  a little  man,  five 
feet  nothing  high,  with  such  a guileless,  innocent  look 
on  his  thin,  meager  face,  could  surely  allow  his  good 
will  to  be  purchased,  if  there  was  any  merit  in  cloth 
and  amiability ! He  came  forward  bravely,  announced 
himself  as  Makoko,  lord  of  that  region  between  Kin- 
tompe  and  Stanley  Pool,  and  held  out  his  hand  with  a 
kindly  smile.  An  old  man,  probably  sixty,  with  a tall 
narrow  forehead,  temples  deeply  sunk,  a pair  of  small 
eyes  gleaming  brightly  out  of  deep  cavities,  cheek-bones 
very  prominent,  face  thin,  a curled  beard  on  his  chin, 
which  proved,  when  at  a later  period  he  unrolled  it,  to 
be  six  feet  long.” 

The  important  conference  which  now  began  should 
be  detailed  in  the  exact  words  of  the  participants.  Mr. 
Stanley  commenced: — 

‘‘People  call  me  Bula  Matari  (Rock-Breaker).  In 
old  times  I was  known  to  Kintamo  as  Stanley.  I am 
the  first  Mundele  seen  by  the  natives  of  this  country.  I 
am  the  man  who  went  down  the  great  river  with  many 
canoes  and  many  men,  years  ago.  I lost  many  men  in 
that  river,  but  I promised  my  friends  at  Kintamo  that  I 
would  come  back  some  day.  I reached  the  white  man’s 


428 


A CRISIS  REACHED. 


land,  but  remembering  my  promise,  I have  come  back. 
I have  been  to  Mfwa  already.  The  people  of  Mfwa 
have  forgotten  me,  but  the  people  of  Kintamo  have  re- 
mained true.  I saw  them  again,  and  Ngalyema  asked 
me  to  return  to  my  people,  and  lead  them  along  the 
south  bank  to  his  village.  Here  is  his  staff  as  a sign 
that  I speak  the  truth.  I am  going  to  him,  to  live  with 
him,  and  to  build  a town  alongside  his  village;  and 
when  that  is  done,  I will  put  the  boats  you  see  on  the 
wagons  here  into  the  water,  and  I will  go  up  the  great 
river,  and  see  if  I can  build  more.  That  is  my  story. 
Let  Makoko  speak  to  his  friend  and  say  if  it  is  good/ 

After  a pause,  and  a deal  of  whispering,  Makoko 
rose  to  reply.  His  manner  was  quiet,  his  voice  was 
low,  becoming  stronger  as  he  proceeded.  He  said : — 

“We  have  heard  day  after  day  for  many  moons,  of 
Bula  Matari.  When  we  heard  that  he  was  breaking 
rocks,  and  cutting  wide  roads  through  the  forests,  we 
became  a little  anxious.  What  manner  of  man  is  this  ? 
we  asked,  who  treats  the  country  in  this  way.  Does  he 
mean  to  destroy  it  ? Then  we  suddenly  heard  of  Bula 
Matari  at  Kintamo,  and  the  word  was  whispered  around 
that  you  had  made  a league  with  Ngalyema,  to  take  the 
country  from  us.  Then  we  all  got  angry,  for  who  is 
Ngalyema  that  he  should  do  this  thing?  Is  he  not  a 
runaway  from  the  Bateke  country  who  asked  us  for  a 
place  to  build  a house,  that  he  might  trade?  Has  he 
not  grown  rich  and  great  through  our  kindness  to  him  ? 
Little  enough,  0 people,  have  any  of  us  received  from 
him.  Yet  he  pretends  to  own  all  the  land  for  himself 
now.’, 

“ Well,  your  people  had  to  leave  Kintamo.  We  did 
that.  For  how  could  you  do  what  you  proposed  with- 
out hearing  from  us  ? Then  we  said,  if  the  white  man 


A CRISIS  REACHED. 


ill 

despises  us,  the  real  owners  of  the  land,  then  he  is  a 
bad  man,  and  there  will  be  war. 

“But  now  you  are  passing  through  our  country  to 
Kintamo.  We  have  heard  of  you  daily.  We  are 
pleased  with  what  we  have  heard.  We  now  know  that 
you  break  rocks  and  cut  trees  to  pass  your  boats  over 
the  country.  This  is  right.  It  is  all  good.  But,  my 
friend,  remember  that  we  own  the  country.  Neither 
Ngalyema,  nor  any  of  the  Bateke  who  buy  ivory  at 
Kintamo,  Kinshassa  and  Kindolo,  have  any  country  on 
this  side  the  river.” 

To  this  speech,  the  assembly  murmured  approval. 
When  the  applause  had  subsided,  Stanley  replied : — 

“You  have  spoken  well,  Makoko.  Though  I passed 
through  the  country  years  ago,  I knew  nothing  of  native 
laws,  customs,  or  rights.  You  all  seemed  very  much 
alike.  Until  lately,  I could  not  tell  the  difference  at 
sight  between  one  of  the  Bateke  and  an  Mbundu.  I 
thought  you  all  black  men,  and  it  takes  a long  time  for 
a white  man  to  tell  the  difference  between  one  black 
face  and  another,  just  as  it  will  take  you  a long  time  to 
tell  the  difference  between  Bula  Matari  and  one  of  his 
sons.  Therefore,  for  speaking  to  Ngalyema  about  the 
country  before  I knew  Makoko,  you  will  forgive  me.  I 
now  speak  to  Makoko,  and  ask  him  what  he  has  to  say 
to  my  request  for  land  near  Kintamo,  or  somewhere 
near  the  river  where  my  boats  can  come  and  go  safely?’ 
“Only  this,”  replied  Makoko  kindly,  “that I am  glad 
to  see  Bula  Matari  and  his  sons.  Rest  in  peace.  Land 
shall  be  given  to  you  where  it  will  suit  you  to  build.  I 
want  to  see  plenty  of  white  men  here.  I have  many 
things  given  me  long  ago  from  the  white  man’s  land, 
and  I have  often  wished  to  see  those  who  could  make 
such  wonderful  things.  I am  told  you  people  make  all 


A CRISfDS  REACHED. 


the  cloth,  the  beads,  the  guns,  the  powder,  plates  and 
glasses.  Ah ! you  must  be  a great  and  good  people. 
Be  easy  in  your  mind.  You  shall  build  at  Kintamo, 
and  I should  like  to  see  the  man  who  says  No,  to  Ma- 
koko’s Yes.” 

Then  came  gifts  from  Makoko  of  goats,  fowls,  ba- 
nanas, and  palm  wine,  while  Stanley  reciprocated  most 
liberally  with  beads  to  Makoko’s  four  wives,  and  cloth 
to  his  principal  men.  Towards  the  close  of  a very 
pleasant,  evening  Makoko  said:  “Ngalyema  gave  you 
his  staff  to  show  the  people  he  was  your  friend ; take 
this  sword  from  Makoko  as  a sign  that  Bula  Matari  is 
Makoko’s  brother.” 

Throughout  this  region  was  abundance  of  game, 
such  as  would  delight  the  eyes  of  many  a Nimrod.  But 
Stanley  was  not  a sportsman,  nor  was  he  sent  out  as  a 
menagerie  agent.  The  reader  need  not  expect  adventure 
of  that  class  in  this  narrative.  Game  was  killed  as 
food,  but  seldom  as  sport.  Hippopotami  and  crocodiles 
were  almost  the  only  exceptions.  Both  being  justly  dis- 
liked, were  occasionally  laid  low  by  the  younger  mem- 
bers of  the  force,  who  greatly  enjoyed  the  sport,  and  the 
vaunting  of  their  prowess  to  friends  at  home. 


TPPO POTAMUS  SLAIN. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


^j'UST  as  Stanley  was  retiring  to  rest,  a messenger 
1 came  from  Makoko  to  say  that  Ngalyema  had 
^ just  arrived,  with  all  the  chiefs  of  Kintamo  and 
about  200  guns ; that  he  was  trying  to  engage  Ngam- 
berengi,  Kimpalampala,  and  others  to  help  him;  that 
he  would  not  have  Stanley  or  any  white  man  near  him, 
as,  in  that  case,  the  Bakongo  would  not  trade  with  him. 
“But,”  he  added,  “Makoko  has  sent  me  to  tell  you  to 
sleep  in  peace,  and  that  if  Ngalyema  fights,  he  will  cut 
the  road  between  here  and  Kintamo,  and  his  guns  will 
help  you  to-morrow.” 

Tuesday  morning,  November  8th,  came  with  a 
drizzling  rain,  but  at  ten  o’clock  the  clouds  broke  away. 

Stanley  sent  word  to  his  men  to  muster  behind  the 
ridge  on  which  they  were  encamped,  and  when  they 
were  ready  he  thus  addressed  them : 

“ Go  each  of  you  to  his  own  tent*;  put  your  cart- 
ridge belts  on.  See  that  your  cartridges  are  in  your 
pouches.  Placp  your  guns  under  your  sleeping  mats, 
or  grass  beds.  All  of  you  then,  excepting  Susi’s  men 
(twenty),  scatter  yourselves  abotit  in  the  bush  on  this 
side  of  the  hill.  Some  lie  down  in  the  En  Avant 
in  the  wagon ; some  of  you  behind  my  tent ; a dozen  in 
the  store  tent ; some  of  you  pretend  to  be  sick  in  your 
huts.  No  matter  how  many  people  are  in  the  camp,  or 

(432) 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


433 


what  you  may  hear,  do  not  stir  from  your  places  until 
fbu  hear  the  gong ; but  when  you  hear  the  gong  struck, 
then  all  run  and  seize  your  guns,  and  rush  up,  all  of 
you,  yelling  like  madmen;  flourish  your  guns  about 
wildly,  and  so  on,  like  the  Ruga-Ruga  of  Unyamwezi.” 
As  for  Susi’s  men,  they  were  to  seat  themselves  about 
the  camp  in  a listless  and  indifferent  manner. 

A quarter  of  an  hour  later  197  persons  issued  from 
Makoko’s  village,  and,  with  drum  and  trumpet  and 
native  music,  filed  across  the  intervening  valley  and  up 
the  hill  to  Stanley’s  camp.  They  found  him  seated 
before  his  tent,  reading  a book.  He  rose  and  greeted 
Ngalyema  in  the  most  effusive  manner,  then  turned  and 
scolded  Susi  for  not  hasting  to  spread  mats  and  sails 
upon  the  ground  for  the  dear  brothers  from  Kintamo. 

But  the  brothers  from  Kintamo  were  stiff,  ugly, 
cold,  repelling.  Their  eyes  wandered  about  the  various 
things  of  the  camp,  and  they  scarcely  deigned  to  notice 
Bula  Matari. 

After  being  seated,  Ngalyema  said : “I  have  come 
from  Kintamo  to  see  my  brother.  Let  him  tell  me 
what  he  has  come  here  for.” 

Stanley  replied  by  showing  the  brass-handed  staff. 
“ This  ,is  what  brought  me ; I have  done  exactly  what 
you  asked  me.” 

Just  then  another  body  of  natives,  sent  by  Makoko, 
came  by  a different  path,  and  seated  themselves  a little 
apart  from  Ngalyema’s  men. 

At  this,  Ngalyema  entered  upon  a speech,  intended 
mainly  for  their  benefit,  and  ended  it  thus  : 

“ Now,  my  brother  has  been  misinformed,  and  has 
misunderstood  me.  We  Bateke  are  strangers,  living  on 
this  side  of  the  river  for  trade  only.  The  Bazombo 
and  the  Bakongo  are  our  customers.  We  have  no  ob- 


434 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


jection  to  white  men,  if  they  come  for  trade,  but  we  do 
not  think  you  have  come  to  trade ; therefore  you  cannot 
come  to  Kintamo.  My  brother  must  go  back  the  way  he 
came,  unless  he  likes  to  stay  here  with  Makoko.  I 
have  said  it.” 

To  which  Stanley  replied  : 

“I  am  not  a little  boy,  Ngalyema,  and  I will  hot 
use  many  words.  You  have  brought  me  thus  far  your- 
self. Makoko  is  going  to  give  me  land  near  Kintamo> 
and  on  that  land  I will  build  my  town.  I know  some- 
thing about  the  country  now.  The  land  is  not  yours  to 
give  away,  therefore  be  easy.  I have  but  one  tongue, 
and  if  Makoko  will  take  me  to  Kintamo,  I will  go  with 
him,  and  build  a fine  place  there,  where,  if  you  like, 
you  may  come  and  see  me ; if  not,  why  then  keep 
away.  I have  spoken.” 

There  was  further  strife  of  words,  then  a consulta- 
tion among  the  Bateke  in  an  undertone;  meanwhile 
Stanley  was  making  a note  of  their  appearance.  “ They 
were  mostly  fine-looking  men,  but  made  hideous  by 
daubs  and  splash-like  spots  and  lines  and  bars  of  white 
and  yellow  and  black  over  their  bodies.  They  were  all 
armed  with  muskets,  except  those  who  carried  the 
ammunition,  the  gourds  being  full  of  powder  and  slugs 
of  iron  and  copper.” 

Suddenly  Ngalyema  asked : “ What  has  my  brother 
brought  me  from  the  white  man’s  land  since  I saw 
him?”  “Come  into  the  tent,”  said  Stanley,  “and  see 
for  yourself.” 

Ngalyema  saw  for  himself,  and  selected  goods 
worth  iU 38.  “These  I will  take,”  said  he,  “but  only 
on  condition  that  you  will  stay  where  you  are.”  Stan- 
ley replied : “ I will  go  to,  or  near,  Kintamo.” 

Ngalyema  strode  from  the  tent  with  ill-suppressed 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


435 


passion.  As  he  stood  irresolute  near  the  door,  his  eye 
caught  the  huge  Chinese  gong  suspended  from  a cross  pole. 

“ What  is  this  ? ” he  demanded,  pointing  at  the 
gong. 

“ It  is  fetish,”  said  Stanley,  sententiously. 

Enjeli,  shrewder  than  his  father,  thought  it  might 
be  some  kind  of  a bell.  Ngalyema  said : 

“ ‘ Strike  this,  Bula  Matari ; let  me  hear  it.’ 

“ ‘Oh,  Ngalyema,  I dare  not;  it  is  the  war  fetish.’ 
“ ‘ No,  -no,’  said  he,  impatiently.  ‘Beat  it,  Bula 
Matari,  that  I may  hear  the  sound.’ 

“ ‘ I dare  not,  Ngalyema.  It  is  the  signal  for  war ; 
it  is  the  fetish  that  calls  up  armed  men ; it  would  be  too 


“ ‘ No,  no,  no  ! I tell  you  to  strike  it.  Strike  it, 
Bula  Matari’ — and  he  stamped  on  the  ground  with 
childish  impatience. 

“ ‘Well,  then’ — taking  the  beater  in  my  hand — 
‘ remember,  I told  you  it  was  bad  fetish — a fetish  for 
war;’  and  as  I lifted  the  beater  high  with  uplifted  hand, 
I asked  again  : ‘ Shall  I strike  now  ? ’ 

“ ‘ Strike — strike  it,  I tell  you  ! ’ 

“With  all  my  force  I struck  the  gong.  The  loud 
bell-like  tone  sounding  in  the  silence  caused  by  the 
hushed,  concentrated  attention  of  all  upon  the  scene  was 
startling  in  the  extreme,  but  as  the  rapid  strokes  were 
applied  vigorously,  the  continued  sound  seemed  to  them 
like  thunder.  They  had  not  recovered  from  the  first 
shock  of  astonishment  when  the  forms  of  men  were  seen 
bounding  over  the  gunwale  of  the  En  Avant , right  over 
their  heads,  and  war-whooping  in  their  ears.  From 
my  tent,  and  from  the  gorge  behind  them,  a stream  of 
frantic  infuriates  emerged  as  though  from  the  earth. 
The  store-tent  was  violently  agitated  and  finally  ool- 


436 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


• • • 


lapsed,  and  a yelling  crowd  of  demoniac  madmen  sprang 
out,  one  after  another,  every  one  apparently  madder 
than  his  neighbor.  The  listless,  sleepy-eyed  stragglers 
burst  out  into  a perfect  frenzy  of  action.  From  under 
the  mats  in  the  huts  there  streamed  into  view  such  a 
frantic  mob  of  armed  men,  that  to  the  panic-struck  na- 
tives the  sky  and  the  earth  seemed  to  be  contributing  to  the 
continually  increasing  number  of  death-dealing  warriors. 
Every  native  present,  would-be  friend  and  would-be  foe, 
lost  his  senses  completely ; the  seated  warriors  forgot 
their  guns  and  fled  before  this  strange  deluge  and  awful 
scene.  The  ammunition-bearers  threw  their  gourds 
away — some  were  broken,  and  the  powder  and  slugs 
were  scattered  over  the  ground ; and  as  Ngalyema  was 
standing  paralyzed  with  fear,  and  with  his  faculties  be- 
numbed, I seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  said  softly  to 
him — 


“‘Be  not  afraid,  Ngalyema.  Remember  Bula 
Matari  is  your  brother.  Stand  behind  me ; I will  pro- 
tect you ! ’ 

“The  Zanzibaris  were  now  a yelling  crowd  in  front 
of  me,  calling  out  tauntingly  and  menacingly — 

“‘Ha,  ha,  Ngalyema!  You  came  to  fight  Bula 
Matari,  Ngalyema ! Where  are  your  warriors,  Ngal- 
yema ? ’ 

“There  could  be  no  better  representation  of  relent- 
less, bloodthirsty  fury  than  that  which  was  shown  by 
these  amateur  black  actors  in  the  suddenly  improvised 
scene.  Their  assumed  frenzy  was  the  next  thing  to 
reality.  Had  I not  been  in  the  secret,  I also  should 
have  been  duped;  while  the  valor  with  which  I defended 
my  poor  brother,  who  with  his  two  hands  grasped  me 
around  the  waist,  and  danced  from  side  to  side  to  avoid 
furious  strokes  from  the  wild  eyed  men,  while  young 


THE  GREAT  WAR  FETISH. 


438 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


Enjeli  clung  behind  his  father  and  followed  his  move- 
ments, reminded  me  of  the  long  forgotten  play  of  hen 
and  chickens.’ 

“ ‘ Save  me,  Bula  Matari ; do  not  let  them  hurt  me  ! 
I did  not  mean  anything,’  cried  Ngalyema. 

“ ‘ Hold  hard,  Ngalyema  ! ’ I cried.  ‘ Keep  fast  hold 
of  me;  I will  defend  you,  never  fear.  Come  one,  come 
all!  Ah,  ha!’ 

“ But  the  camp  was  almost  emptied  of  our  visitors, 
much  of  the  ammunition  was  left  behind,  the  guns  were 
strewn  over  the  ground,  and  the  play  was  well  acted. 

“ ‘ Enough,  boys  ; fall  into  line  V and  ‘Silence  !’  was 
cried  by  Susi  and  his  brother  captains,  and  the  obedient, 
well-trained  fellows  fell  into  line  at  ‘Shoulder  arms ! 
with  all  the  precision  of  military  veterans.  Then,  as 
Ngalyema  had  allowed  his  hands  to  fall  down  by  his 
side  in  mute  surprise  at  this  other  transformation  scene, 
I took  hold  of  his  two  hands  and  said  with  an  assuring 
smile : 

“ ‘Well,  Ngalyema,  what  do  you  now  think  of  the 
white  man’s  fetish  ? ’ 

“ ‘Ah,  I was  not  afraid,  was  I ? See,  all  my  people 
are  run  away  ! Ay  me,  such  braves  ! Only  Enjeli  and 
Ganchu  left  with  me ! But  tell  me,  Bula  Matari,  where 
did  all  these  people  come  from  ? ’ 

“ ‘All,  that  is  the  bad  fetish  I told  you  of ! Do  you 
want  to  see  any  more  ? Come,  I will  strike  the  gong 
again,  and  the  next  scene  may  be  perhaps  more  wonder- 
ful still.’ 

“ ‘What ! ’ he  shrieked,  while  he  laid  his  hand  upon 
my  arm.  ‘No,  no  ; don’t  touch  it.  Ay,  verily,  that  must  be 
a bad  fetish,’ — shaking  his  head  at  the  round,  innocent 
face  of  the  gong. 

“‘Look  yet  again  at  these  people,  Ngalyema,’ I 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


439 


said,  pointing  to  the  long  line  of  smiling  soldier- 
laborers. 

“ ‘Attention ! right  face ! all  of  yon  march  forward 
quietly ; no  noise ; put  your  guns  away,  and  each  go 
about  his  business.  Forward,  march  ! ’ The  line  van- 
ished, and  it  was  only  then  Ngalyema  began  to  recover 
himself,  while  Enjeli  and  Ganchu  hallooed  loudly  to  the 
fugitives  to  return.  Half  an  hour  later  they  were  all 
back  again  in  the  camp,  retailing  to  one  another,  amid 
boisterous  merriment,  their  individual  experiences,  while 
Ngalyema’s  loud  laugh  was  heard  above  all  others. 
Messengers  were  then  sent  to  Makoko’s  and  Ngoma’s  for 
great  gourds  full  of  palm-wine  ; others  were  sent  to  procure 
goats  and  pigs  and  bananas,  and  these  were  given  to  me. 
Over  the  palm- wine  we  mutually  swore  faithful  brother- 
hood and  an  everlasting  peace  • and  the  doughty  warriors 
of  Ngalyema  embraced  in  a fraternal  manner  the  jolly 
good  fellows  of  Bula  Matari ; and  the  Europeans — the 
sons  of  old  Bula  Matari,  who,  for  a man  that  was  never 
married,  and  one  of  the  most  unlikely  men  ever  to  be 
married,  were  really  a credit  to  him — were  fondly  be- 
sieged by  their  ardent  brothers  of  Kintamo.  Makoko, 
who  was  generally  believed  to  be  the  oldest  inhabitant  in 
the  country,  on  being  asked  his  opinion  of  the  scene,  said 
that  he  had  ‘never  witnessed  such  a day  as  this.’ 

“Before  evening,  Ngalyema  returned  on  his  way 
to  Kintamo  with  his  people,  much  wiser  than  when  he 
came,  and  I was  left  with  the  memories  of  my  first  prac  ■ 
tical  joking  on  this  expedition,  which  had  so  highly  en- 
tertained everybody  concerned  in  it.” 

There  were  still  sixteen  miles  between  Stanley  and 
Kintamo.  The  road  would  traverse  valleys,  ridges,  for- 
ests ; would  cross  streams  and  be  graded  along  steep 
slopes.  But  Stanley’s  trick  played  upon  Ngalyema  had 


440 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


rendered  him  extremely  popular  with  the  Wambundu, 
so  that  on  the  following  day  he  easily  enlisted  78  native 
carriers.  On  the  way  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  sev- 
eral chiefs  of  the  Wambundu,  and  these  accompanied 
him  to  Kintamo,  and  did  all  that  they  could  to  favor  his 
settlement  in  such  location  as  he  might  prefer.  One  of 
these,  Ngamberengi,  next  in  rank  to  Makoko,  was  a man 
of  unusual  intelligence  and  appearance,  and  seemingly 
far  better  qualified  for  the  position  of  chief  than  any 
one  hitherto  seen.  From  him  Stanley  learned  the 
history  of  Ngalyema,  who,  with  his  two  brothers,  was 
a slave  to  Bamanku,  an  important  man  at  Kinshassa, 
five  miles  above  Kintamo.  When  Bamanku  died  he  left 
his  property  equally  to  the  three  slave  brothers.  One 
of  these  was  murdered  in  a drinking  bout,  and  this  led 
to  hostilities  in  which  the  other  brother  was  slain,  and 
Ngalyema  driven  across  the  river  to  Mfwa.  Trade  not 
being  good  there,  he  secured  a footing  at  Kintamo, 
traded,  purchased  the  favor  of  chiefs,  strengthened  him- 
self by  marriage  of  two  or  three  women,  attracted  to 
him  Bateke  chiefs  like  Makabi  and  Mubi, — in  a word, 
grew  rich  and  became  great  by  arts  not  wholly  unlike 
those  which  intelligence  employs  in  more  civilized  lands. 
Ngamberenji  went  on  : — 

“ 4 Ngalyema  has  about  150  guns;  all  the  rest  put 
together  have  perhaps  300  more.  Makoko  of  Lema  has 
almost  as  many  as  Kintamo ; Kimbangu  and  Mikunga 
have  about  200  each,  while  Kinshassa  and  Kindolo  can- 
not muster  300  guns.  You  see  that  Ngalyema,  when 
going  to  war,  can  bring  over  a thousand  guns  easily. 
It  is  this  that  has  made  Ngalyema’s  head  big.  All  the 
Wambundu  chiefs  put  together  cannot  show  half  so 
many  guns  as  Ngalyema.  We  know  we  cannot  fight 
him  that  way,  but  we  have  our  own  way  of  fighting  him, 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


441 


which  is  just  as  good.  We  stop  the  markets  until  the 
question  is  settled ; and  as  there  are  more  people  at 
Kintamo  than  can  be  fed  by  their  fields,  the  people  put 
a pressure  on  Ngalyema  to  listen  to  us,  and  then  we  ob- 
tain what  we  want. 

4 4 4 Now  follow  our  advice.  Go  on  the  way  you  are 
going  to  the  river;  our  people  shall  carry  your  goods 
and  haul  your  wagons.  If  there  is  any  question  against 
what  we  say,  we  shall  stop  the  markets,  and  Ngalyema 
will  fall  from  his  high  place  deep  to  the  ground,  if  he 
makes  any  trouble  in  our  country.  Do  you  see  those 
little  boys  ? — they  are  not  very  big  yet,  but  they  are  big 
enough  to  chase  Ngalyema  and  his  thieving  Bateke  back 
to  their  own  poor  country  of  Mbe,  where  they  came 
from/  ” 

By  the  1st  of  December,  a camp  had  been  made 
600  yards  below  Kintamo  on  a grassy  ridge  sloping  to 
the  Congo.  This  was  the  chosen  site  for  the  new  settle- 
ment. It  offered  500  yards  of  river  frontage,  from  the 
Cataract  of  Kintamo  below,  up  to  a stream  which  would 
be  a boundary  between  the  new  comers  and  Ngalyema’s 
village.  By  noon  of  December  3rd  the  total  effects  of 
the  expedition  were  on  the  ground,  and  the  En  Avant 
had  been  launched  upon  the  river. 

The  story  of  the  following  weeks  is  the  story  of 
Bula  Matari’s  patience  and  liberality;  of  Ngalyema’s 
greed  and  petulance.  Though  the  incident  of  the  gong 
had  issued  in  professed  friendship,  this . haughty, 
wayward  and  unprincipled  chief  was  not  more  the  friend 
of  the  white  men  than  before.  44  What  is  the  condition 
at  Kintamo?”  said  Makoko  to  his  subjects  returned 
from  the  transport  service.  They  answered,  44  Every 
man’s  finger  is  upon  the  trigger.” 

On  the  3rd  of  December  Ngalyema  came  with  a 


442  ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 

dozen  armed  men,  and  brought  a present  of  a goat  and 
some  palm-juice,  and  got  in  return  ten  times  their  value. 
Stanley  protested  against  armed  men  coming  to  the 
camp.  To  this  Ngalyema  agreed,  and  broke  the  agree- 
ment two  days  later.  He  and  his  chiefs  came  in  splen- 
did attire  of  yellow,  blue,  and  crimson  silks,  their  faces 
marked  with  red,  white,  and  yellow  clays,  and  circlets 
of  zinc-framed  looking-glasses  about  their  heads  for 
crowns. 

Ngalyema’s  arms  were  almost 'completely  covered 
with  polished  brass  rings,  over  which  were  heavy  brass 
wristlets  and  armlets.  On  his  ankles  were  red  copper 
rings  weighing,  perhaps,  ten  pounds  each.  Ngalyema 
laughed,  Makabi  strutted,  Mubi  talked,  Ngako  figured 
as  somebody,  and  young  Enjeli  exemplified  the  Congo 
princeling  and  dude.  Again  they  were  told  to  make 
their  visits  if  they  pleased,  but  leave  their  arms  at 
home.  Despite  the  warning,  Ngalyema  came  again  on 
the  following  day  with  a numerous  retinue  of  armed 
men.  This  time  he  was  told  that,  should  he  repeat  the 
act,  it  would  be  the  signal  for  war. 

On  the  7th,  Ngalyema  was  seen  approaching  with 
forty  armed  men,  while  more  than  a hundred  others 
were  in  the  grass  a little  way  behind.  Stanley  at  once 
armed  forty  of  his  men  with  empty  guns,  and  marched 
out  to  meet  him.  Thus  confronted,  Ngalyema  was 
frightened  out  of  his  wits.  He  fell  on  the  ground, 
rubbed  his  face  in  the  dust,  and  cried — 

“Ah,  kill  me,  Bula  Matari!  Ah,  kill  me,  my 
brother ! Yes,  you  are  strong — strong ! Kill  me ; see, 
here  is  my  breast.” 

Stanley  approached,  lifted  him  up,  re-assured  him, 
patted  his  hand,  reasoned  with  him ; Ngalyema  vowed 
eternal  brotherhood,  undying  devotion,  and  the  next  day 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


443 


sent  messengers  to  five  neighboring  chiefs,  requesting 
their  aid  to  drive  Stanley  out  of  the  country.  Three  of 
these,  Kinswangi,  Kimpe,  and  Kimfila,  Wambundu 
chiefs,  refused,  and  sent  to  warn  Stanley  that  Ngalyema 
was  intent  on  mischief.  Ngamberengi  had  visited  the 
camp  early  in  the  month,  and  given  Stanley  what  we 
should  be  disposed  to  regard  as  very  good  advice. 
When  Stanley  complained  of  Ngalyema’s  begging  and 
blustering  and  bragging,  Ngamberengi  said — 

“Ah,  he  is  a great  liar!  Never  mind  him.  If  he 
fights,  we  shall  all  be  at  your  back.  Do  not  give  him 
so  much  cloth.  He  has  got  too  much  already.  That 
is  what  has  given  him  such  a large  head.  If  he  wants 
any  nice  cloth,  tell  him  to  buy  it  with  something.” 

Had  Stanley  handled  this  cowardly  African  with  a 
little  more  vigor,  we  incline  to  think  it  would  have  been 
money  in  his  pocket.  As  it  was,  Ngalyema’s  temporal 
fortunes  were  bettered  to  the  extent  of  at  least  $5,000 
in  merchantable  goods. 

Old  Makoko  had  to  call  a council  of  a dozen  chiefs 
— a kind  of  African  “Congress  of  all  the  Powers,” — to 
patch  up  a peace — to  agree  upon  some  modus  vivendi . 
Ngalyema  and  Bula  Matari  were  duly  heard.  The  end 
of  it  was  a ratification  and  jollification. 

“Build,  build  everywhere,  as  much  as  you  like,” 
they  said;  “the  country  is  free  and  open,  and  all  of  us 
are  now  your  friends.”  The  chiefs  retired  to  Kincamo; 
Ngalyema  burned  seven  ten-pound  kegs  of  powder;  Ma- 
koko of  Lema,  five;  Ngamberengi  on  behalf  of  the 
Wambundu,  three.  What  American,  familiar  with  the 
Glorious  Fourth,  or  with  quadrennial  party  triumphs, 
will  hereafter  doubt  that  the  African  is  a man  and  a 
brother  ? 

Leopoldville  was  built  and  fortified  in  four  months. 


444 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


The  fortification  was  a block-house  built  of  logs.  The 
walls  were  two  feet  thick,  and  filled  with  clay;  the 
height  of  the  main  building  was  22  feet,  with  wings  15 
feet  high.  It  probably  had  more  to  do  with  Ngalyema’s 
subsequent  good  behavior  than  had  $5,000  worth  of 
stuff.  It  contained  five  chambers  for  as  many  Europe- 
ans, a dining-room,  and  a strong  magazine.  In  this  the 
goods  were  placed  on  exhibition  and  the  natives  crowded 
to  see  and  to  buy.  On  the  day  of  the  opening  $2,500 
worth  were  sold  before  night;  $1,500  worth  were  sold 
the  next  day.  Had  Stanley  been  ready  to  buy  ivory  and 
native  produce,  trade  would  doubtless  have  been  brisker. 
Says  Mr.  Stanley : — 

“ During  our  long  residence  here  we  have  become 
intimate  with  the  people’s  wants.  We  note  the  eager 
hungry  look  of  the  strangers  who  come  from  hundreds 
of  miles  to  visit  us  in  the  hope  that  we  would  purchase 
something  from  them.  When  we  tell  them  that  we  do 
not  want  ivory,  or  rubber,  or  camwood  powder,  or  cola 
nuts,  or  gums,  they  appear  to  despair,  and  ask  sorrow- 
fully, ‘Well,  what  is  it  you  do  want?  Tell  us,  and  we 
will  get  it  for  you.  We  came  here  to  get  some  cloth, 
and  now  we  come  here  with  things  to  sell  you  will  not 
buy  them.  What  kind  of  a white  man  are  you?’” 

A negro  market  is  an  interesting  and  animated 
sight.  A banker  is  not  needed;  and  really,  one  who 
should  do  a banking  business  in  their  usual  currency 
would  run  great  risks.  Nearly  everything  is  conducted 
upon  the  principle  of  barter.  Beads,  cowries  and  brass 
rods  are  cash.  But  tastes  vary  as  rapidly  as  Parisian 
fashions ; and  he  who  rolls  in  wealth  one  day  may  find 
himself  on  another  left  with  a great  quantity  of  useless 
beads  and  shells.  Hence  traders’  fortunes  consist 


EGYPTIAN  MARKET. 


446 


establishing  Leopoldville. 


chiefly  of  staple  goods : cloth,  ivory,  powder,  hardware^ 
rum,  tobacco,  &c. 

The  market  of  a district  usually  itinerates.  To-day 
it  is  here;  to-morrow  yonder;  so  it  goes  the  rounds. 
Take  Lew  Wallace’s  Joppa  Gate  market  and  deprive  the 
busy  people  of  money,  and  you  have  a semblance  of  the 
life  and  the  variety.  An  Egyptian  market  is  tame  in 
comparison.  Stanley,  whose  mission  was  to  open  the 
way  for  trade,  but  not  to  trade,  wTas  a curiosity  to  the 
people.  The  African  is  slow  to  comprehend  more  than 
direct  personal  interests;  and  one  who  wants  to  see 
rivers,  mountains  and  lakes  is  an  unfathomable  mystery. 

Stanley  and  Ngalyema  became  brothers  in  1877. 
Our  brief  narrative  has  served  to  show  how  this  tender 
relation  was  subjected  to  a terrible  strain.  There  was 
reason  why  the  backsliders  should  become  the  subjects 
of  revival  and  recovery.  Accordingly,  on  the  9th  of 
April  they  renewed  their  vows.  Let  Stanley  tell  it : — 

“ We  crossed  arms ; an  incision  was  made  in  each 
arm ; some  salt  was  placed  on  the  wound,  and  then  a 
mutual  rubbing  took  place,  while  the  great  fetish  man 
of  Kintamo  pronounced  an  inconceivable  number  of 
curses  on  my  head  if  I ever  proved  false.  Susi,  not  to 
be  outdone  by  him,  solicited  the  gods  to  visit  unheard 
of  atrocious  vengeances  on  Ngalyema  if  he  dared  make 
the  slightest  breach  in  the  sacred  brotherhood  which 
made  him  and  Bula  Matari  one  and  indivisible  forever.” 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


Y the  19th  of  April  Leopoldville  was  in  good  con- 
i') dition,  and  at  peace  with  all  its  neighbors. 

Ngalyema  had  been  conquered,  partly  by  gifts, 
partly  by  suggestion  of  something  different  should  he 
press  matters  too  far.  Through  him  other  obstreperous 
chiefs  had  been  wTon  to  friendly  alliance.  The  Wam- 
bundu  were  hearty  friends.  Caravans  came  and  went 
regularly  every  five  days  from  between  Leopoldville  and 
the  stations  below.  The  time  had  come  for  another 
advance. 

A beautiful  land  is  this  which  they  will  leave 
behind  them — 50,000  acres  of  soil  as  rich  as  can  be 
found  on  earth.  What  tons  of  sugar,  wheat,  millet, 
yams,  sweet  potatoes,  and  Indian  corn  these  acres 
might  produce.  The  population  is  some  3,000  muscular 
negroes,  whose  chief  industry  is  sitting  down,  while 
their  women  rub  them  with  palm  oil  and  ochre,  or 
dress  their  beautiful  chignons.  Yet  the  white  man 
living  near  would  regard  some  of  them  with  a feeling  of 
appreciation  and  friendship.  He  would  listen  to  gar- 
rulous old  Ngako’s  tales  of  adventure  and  war.  In 
Ngalyema's  fifer,  living  like  a hermit  in  his  lone  hut 
half-way  between  Leopoldville  and  Kintamo,  he  would 
find  a chatty  and  agreeable  old  man.  Makabi,  an  acute 

(447) 


446 


ESTABLISHING  LEOPOLDVILLE. 


chiefly  of  staple  goods : cloth,  ivory,  powder,  hardware, 
rum,  tobacco,  &c. 

The  market  of  a district  usually  itinerates.  To-daj 
it  is  here;  to-morrow  yonder;  so  it  goes  the  rounds. 
Take  Lew  Wallace’s  Joppa  Gate  market  and  deprive  the 
busy  people  of  money,  and  you  have  a semblance  of  the 
life  and  the  variety.  An  Egyptian  market  is  tame  in 
comparison.  Stanley,  whose  mission  was  to  open  the 
way  for  trade,  but  not  to  trade,  was  a curiosity  to  the 
people.  The  African  is  slow  to  comprehend  more  than 
direct  personal  interests;  and  one  who  wants  to  see 
rivers,  mountains  and  lakes  is  an  unfathomable  mystery. 

Stanley  and  Ngalyema  became  brothers  in  1877. 
Our  brief  narrative  has  served  to  show  how  this  tender 
relation  was  subjected  to  a terrible  strain.  There  was 

reason  why  the  backsliders  should  become  the  subjects 

. ■ ' 

of  revival  and  recovery.  Accordingly,  on  the  9th  of 
April  they  renewed  their  vows.  Let  Stanley  tell  it : — 

“ We  crossed  arms ; an  incision  was  made  in  each 
arm ; some  salt  was  placed  on  the  wound,  and  then  a 
mutual  rubbing  took  place,  while  the  great  fetish  man 
of  Kintamo  pronounced  an  inconceivable  number  of 
curses  on  my  head  if  I ever  proved  false.  Susi,  not  to 
be  outdone  by  him,  solicited  the  gods  to  visit  unheard 
of  atrocious  vengeances  on  Ngalyema  if  he  dared  make 
the  slightest  breach  in  the  sacred  brotherhood  which 
made  him  and  Bula  Matari  one  and  indivisible  forever.” 


448 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


fellow,  neat  in  person,  lord  of  a large  number  of  pretty- 
wives  and  bright-eyed  children,  might  be  deemed  worthy 
of  a closer  study.  Ngalyema  would  appear  better  at 
home  than  abroad.  He  would  show  his  treasures,  and 
talk  with  satisfaction  about  his  own  funeral,  when  he 
would  be  shrouded  in  cottons  and  woolens  and  silks  and 
satins,  and  after  days  of  fusillading,  would  be  laid  to 
rest  in  an  honored  sepulcher.  “Ah,”  he  says, . “ that 
will  be  grand,  and  worthy  of  a king ! ” 

At  6 a.  m.  of  April  19  the  En  Avant , towing  the 
whale-boat  and  two  canoes,  was  moving  up  the  Congo. 
The  crew  were  four  white  men  and  forty-nine  black 
ones ; 129  man-loads  made  up  the  freight.  They  crept 
along  the  southern  bank,  rounded  Kallina  Point,  and  in 
an  hour  were  on  the  bosom  of  Stanley  Pool.  They 
turned  to  the  left  to  Bamu  Island,  coasted  along  its 
shore  till  5 p.  m.,  then  turned  into  a cove  to  gather  fuel, 
and  rest  till  morning. 

Stanley  Pool,  noticed  before  in  this  volume,  is  an 
expansion  of  the  Congo,  seventeen  and  one-half  miles 
long  by  sixteen  miles  broad.  Near  the  center  is  Bamu 
Island,  fourteen  miles  long,  and  having  an  area  of 
about  forty-two  square  miles.  It  is  low,  and  covered 
with  jungle,  where  feed  buffaloes,  hippos,  and  elephants. 

The  tourist  would  find  something  to  admire  in  the 
scenery  of  Stanley  Pool.  The  vast  river,  sixteen  miles 
from  bank  to  bank,  yet  flowing  with  a current  of  three 
miles  an  hour ; the  hills  rising  on  either  hand  to  the 
height  of  500  or  600  feet,  clothed  with  woods  which 
display  the  dark  green  foliage  of  the  guaiacum  in  con- 
trast with  the  tender  leafage  of  the  bombax  and  the  flass- 
wood;  the  crimson  glories  of  the  traveler’s  tree,  the 
feathery  fronds  of  the  elais,  the  yellow  blossoms  of  the 
acacia ; the  lights  and  shadows  on  steep  and  glen ; the 


/ 


EXPLORING-  A NEW  REGION.  449 

monkeys  sporting  in  the  trees ; the  startled  hippos,  with 
pointed  ears  erect,  listening  a moment  to  the  strange 
noise  of  the  boat,  then  sinking  out  of  sight ; the  croco- 
diles, darting  at  the  boat,  as  if  to  pierce  it,  then  sinking 
when  a few  yards  away;  the  fish-eagle  and  the  king- 
fisher, darting  and  screaming  over  head — these  are  some 
of  the  elements  of  interest  which  Nature  has  thrown 
around  Stanley  Pool. 

At  4:30  p.  m.,  April  20th,  Stanley  and  his  company 
halted  at  First  Point  for  the  night,  and  on  the  next  day 
they  came  to  Mswata,  where  it  was  desirable  to  estab- 
lish their  Sixth  Station.  The  chief,  Gobila,  an  exceed- 
ingly stout  man  of  forty-five,  was  a trader  who  had 
received  a concession  from  the  Bauf unu,  whose  chief 
was  Gandelay.  Gobila  was  ready  to  admit  the  white 
men,  but  the  right  belonged  to  others.  Eleven  days 
passed  before  negotiations  were  finally  concluded. 
Gandelay  came  in  state**  borne  in  a hammock,  with 
leopard  skins  to  sit  on,  women  to  brush  away  the  flies, 
drummers,  great  and  small,  and  musicians  to  blow  on 
ivory  horns.  He  was  good-looking  and  amiable.  He 
came  with  presents — three  goats,  half-a-dozen  fowls,  a 
pot  of  honey,  a jar  of  palm  oil,  a basket  of  groundnuts, 
and  several  bunches  of  bananas. 

With  him  was  Ganchu,  chief  of  the  Bateke  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river.  He  came  with  three  canoes, 
announced  by  drums,  bells,  and  mellow- sounding  horns. 
The  parties  were  assembled,  and  the  council  was  begun. 

• Ganchu  spoke : 

“ ‘ I belong  to  the  Bateke.  I like  white  men  to 
come  into  the  country.  If  Gandelay  refuses  Bula 
Matari,  I will  take  him,  and  take  4 Commanda’,  and  take 
all  who  come;  the  more  the  better.  We  will  make 
plenty  of  trade  then.’  ” 


A VERY  GREAT  ClllLj 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


451 


Gandelay  spoke: 

“ 4 1 am  chief  of  all  this  country,  from  the  Wam- 
poko  to  the  Kwa,  and  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kwa  to  the 
land  of  the  Wabuma.  To  Gobila  I have  given  the 
river  bank  from  the  Malivu  to  the  Kwa.  If  Gobila  ac- 
cepts Bula  Matari  as  his  white  man,  the  Baufunu  will 
also  accept  him,  and  Bula  Matari  shall  be  my  brother.’  ” 

Lieutenant  Janssen  was  introduced  to  the  chiefs, 
and  they  led  him  to  the  summit  of  a little  hill.  He  was 
told  to  look  about  him,  and  select  a site  for  a town.  A 
long,  low  hill  was  selected,  800  yards  below  Gobila’s 
village. 

Stanley  returned  to  Leopoldville,  consuming  in  the 
passage  eleven  hours.  Janssen  was  left  with  Gobila  to 
prosecute  the  work  of  building  the  new  town.  His  vigor 
and  success  were  such  that  Gobila  decided  to  name  him 
“Susu  Mpembe,”  or  “ The  White  Chicken.” 

Stanley  had  sent  word  to  the  chief  at  Yivi  to  for- 
ward any  Europeans  sent  out  by  the  Association  for  service 
on  the  Upper  Congo,  but  a month  would  elapse  before 
they  could  reach  Mswata.  He  resolved  in  the  mean- 
time to  explore  the  Kwa. 

The  native  stories  were  not  assuring.  The  Kwa, 
they  said,  was  formed  by  the  junction  of  two  rivers,  the 
Mbihe  and  the  Rufini.  The  Mbihe  was  dangerous  for 
canoes  from  sudden  explosive  movements  of  the  water, 
which  as  suddenly  subsided.  The  Rufini  was  navigable 
a long  distance  till  squeezed  between  opposing  banks. 
But  the  people  were  more  muscular,  their  spears  were 
longer,  their  dispositions  fiercer  than  elsewhere. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  Stanley  left  Mswata.  Twelve 
miles  brought  him  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kwa.  It  was  450 
yards  wide  and  much  browner  than  the  Congo.  Its  bluff 
banks  were  of  reddish  stone  and  clay.  Up  a very 


452 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


crooked  stream  they  continued  until  after  dark.  Their 
guide  was  Ankoli,  one  of  Gobila’s  men,  and  he  brought 
them  to  a decaying  village  that  had  once  belonged  to 
Gobila,  and  was  now  presided  over  by  Gobila’s  brother. 

Next  morning,  while  the  crew  were  cutting  fuel,  Stan- 
ley followed  Ankoli  round  the  fields.  The  cassava,  the 
sugar  cane  and  the  ground  nuts  were  all  that  could  be 
desired. 

They  steamed  up  the  river.  They  met  a canoe 
descending  with  ivory.  They  overtook  two  other  canoes 
and  offered  to  tow  them. 

“ ‘Ah,  well,  we  don’t  know,’  said  the  natives.  ‘We 
are  rather  afraid  of  those  turning  things’  (the  paddle 
wheels).’  ” 

They  were  encouraged  and  hitched  on.  The  steersman 
became  nervous,  turned  the  prow  too  much  athwart  the 
waves,  the  canoe  shipped  water,  and  was  nearly  cap- 
sized 

“ ‘Ah,  no;  those  turning  things  are  bad,’  they  said. 
‘They  throw  too  much  water  at  us  !’  ” They  were  left  to 
proceed  alone. 

Many  villages  were  passed  this  day,  some  em- 
bowered in  banana  leaves,  some  surrounded  by  a tall 
grove.  The  river  was  in  one  place  two  miles  wide. 
Grassy  islets  were  numerous,  and  from  these  flocks  of 
egrets,  ducks  and  pelicans  were  startled  by  the  noise 
of  the  escaping  steam.  Hippos,  startled  from  their  quiet 
haunts,  listened  intently,  then  disappeared. 

The  valley  was  broad,  sometimes  well  wooded, 
sometimes  covered  with  luxuriant  grass. 

At  Mabula,  some  natives  in  canoes  demand : — 

“ ‘Where  are  you  going  ? What  is  this  all  for  ? 
What  kind  of  a thing  is  this  that  goes  up  by  itself  on  our 
waters?’ 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


453 


“ 4 Oh,’ Ankoli  responds  in  a matter-of-fact  manner — 
(he  has  forgotten  that  he  also  was  frightened  by  it  a few 
days  ago) — ‘we  are  going  to  visit  Gankabi.  This  is  Bula 
Matari,  you  know — brother  of  great  Gobila ; and  this  is 
the  white  man’s  boat.  Ah,  it  takes  the  likes  of  white 
men  to  do  things  like  this,  you  know  ! ’ 

“At  which  there  was  a great  cry  of  admiration, 
and  very  cautious  approaches,  lest  those  things  begin  to 
revolve  again,  and  send  them  all  to  the  bottom.” 

Clouds  gathered,  the  lightning  flashed,  and  at  5 :45 
p.  m.  the  En  Avant  tied  up  for  the  night,  a mile  away 
from  a scrubby  grove  where  fuel  might  be  found  in  the 
morning.  Rain  fell  copiously  during  the  night.  Collect- 
ing fuel  and  making  steam  consumed  the  following 
morning,  and  it  was  noon  before  they  were  under  way. 

The  right  half  of  the  river  had  been  black  and  the 
left  half  gray  for  many  miles.  The  right  half  was  the 
water  of  the  Mfini,  the  left  half,  of  the  Mbihe,  and  the 
junction  of  the  two  streams  was  now  a little  way  above. 

Just  in  the  junction  stood  the  village  of  Musye, 
ruled  over  by  Gankabi,  queen  of  the  Wabuma.  Its  site 
is  a rich  terrace  twenty  to  forty  feet  above  high  water. 
It  straggles  for  a considerable  distance  up  the  Mfini, 
and  may,  contain  5,000  inhabitants.  The  commercial 
situation  is  admirable. 

The  puffing  of  the  En  Avant  startled  the  inhabi- 
tants from  their  noon  siesta.  They  mustered  in  crowds 
on  the  bank,  and  some  leaped  into  canoes  and  shot  out 
into  the  river  to  examine  the  strange  craft  that  without 
rowers  had  come  up  the  stream. 

But  Gankabi  was  absent  up  the  Mfini,  and  in  Jaer 
absence  none  dared  to  entertain  the  strangers.  The 
travelers  proceeded  up  the  Mfini,  and  at  5 .45  camped 
on  an  island. 


454 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


At  Vivi  and  Manyanga  mosquitoes  were  unknown. 
At  Leopoldville  there  were  a few,  which,  after  the  grass 
was  cleared  away,  were  blown  away  by  the  wind.  At 
Mswata  the  mosquito  was  a curiosity.  In  this  grassy 
island  in  the  Mfini  they  passed  all  numbering, 
and  they  exhibited  all  their  characteristic  activity  and 
enterprise.  Stanley  and  his  companions  spent  a dread- 
ful night. 

There  was  little  fuel,  but  a sea  of  grass  fifteen  miles 
wide  to  the  foot  hills.  Here  and  there  was  a scrubby 
tree,  or  a clump  of  cottonwood.  From  the  ashes  of 
this,  dense,  tall  grass  the  natives  manufactured  a dirty 
gray  salt. 

It  was  eight  o clock  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  be- 
fore they  were  ready  to  leave  the  isle  of  mosquitoes. 
An  hour  later  two  well-manned  canoes  were  seen  ap- 
proaching. In  the  foremost  was  a female  paddling  vig- 
orously. Ankoli  recognized  her  and  cried,  £ 4 There  is 
Gankabi ! ” 

She  showed  not  the  slightest  sign  of  timidity,  but 
brought  her  forty-five  foot  canoe  alongside.  She  was 
tall,  square  shouldered,  finely  formed,  with  no  trace  of 
the  negro  save  in  the  frizzled  hair  and  rich  bronze  color. 
She  had  an  ample  grass- cloth  about  her  loins,  her 
breast  and  head  and  feet  were  bare,  and  she  had  no  or- 
naments except  a heavy  copper  wristlet.  Stanley  had 
not  seen  half-a-dozen  such  women  in  Africa. 

She  contemplated  him  in  silence  for  some  time, 
then  spoke  abruptly  : — 

“ ‘ So  you  are  Bula  Matari ! 5 

“‘Yes.’ 

‘•‘Come  along  with  me.  You  can  stop  at  Ngete 
to-day,  and  to-morrow  we  can  go  to  Musye.’ 

“‘Pardon,  Gankabi;  Musye  I saw  yesterday. 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


455 


Musye  drove  me  away.  I came  up  river,  and  I am  now 
going  to  the  end  of  it.’ 

“ ‘ What ! you  cannot  go  higher  than  Ngete  with 
me.  Do  you  know  I am  Gankabi,  and  what  I say  is 
done  ? Ay  ? ’ 

“ 1 Oh,  well,  Ankoli  has  told  me  of  Gankabi.  Gobila 
has  spoken  of  Gankabi.  I know  Gankabi  is  great,  the 
mother  of  Buguku,  and  queen  of  the  Wabuma;  but  my 
name  is  Bula  Matari,  the  man  who  breaks  rocks.’ 
There  is  nothing  like  asserting  one’s  self  in  such  an 
obstinate  presence.  If  I had  not  done  so,  this  virago 
would  have  taught  me,  I believe,  what  a stout-armed 
mother  can  do.  The  paddle  was  in  her  hand ! 

“ ‘ Be  quiet.  Follow  me  this  instant  to  Ngete. 
What  do  you  want  to  see  the  river  for?  There  is  noth- 
ing beyond  Ngete.  The  two  banks  meet  so.’  (She  in- 
terlaced both  fingers  of  her  hand.)  ‘ Take  my  word  for  it 
and  come  along.’ 

“ ‘No,’  I replied,  ‘ to-day  I do  not  wish  to  see  Ngete. 
I am  going  to  see  the  end  of  the  river,  and  when  I return,  if 
you  are  at  Musye  I will  see  you,  that  is,  if  you  wish;  if 
not,  I go  down  as  I came,  past  you.’ 

“ ‘Well,  what  next,  I wonder ! How  will  you  go  past 
Ngete?  The  people  will  fight  you.  No  one  is  allowed  to 
go  past  Ngete.  The  people  are  bad ; they  will  kill  you  all.’ 
“ ‘ Ah,  well,  I shall  be  very  sorry  to  get  killed,  of 
course ; but  I must  go  all  the  same.’ 

“ ‘What  for  ? ’ 

“ ‘ To  see  the  river.’ 

“ ‘ And  what  will  you  do  with  it,  when  you  do  see  it  ? ’ 
“ ‘ Nothing ; when  I have  seen  the  end  I will  return.’ 
“ ‘Enough,  then.  Listen  ! stay  here,  go  close  to  the 
bank  there,  and  I will  go  and  get  you  something  to  eat, 
and  we  will  go  together  down  to  Musye.’ 


456 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


“ ‘ No;  I am  glad  to  have  seen  yon.  You  go  and 
do  your  work  at  Ngete.  Wait  there  twc  v>r  three  days, 
and  I will  return  to  you,  and  together  we  will  go  to 
Musye.’ 

“‘No,  no,  no;  do  not  be  foolish,  Bula  Matari. 
Come  on  with  me  to  this  next  village,  and  I will  give  you 
some  food,  and  you  shall  stay  there.  Meantime,  I will 
go  to  Ngete  and  get  my  things,  and  we  will  go  down  to 
Musye  to-day.’ 

Stanley  followed  her  to  the  village.  She  gave  him 
a goat  and  some  bananas,  and  then  went  to  Ngete  to 
get  her  things.  Stanley  waited  an  hour  for  her  return  ; 
then  fearing  her  further  entreaties,  moved  on.  With  a 
full  head  of  steam  the  En  Avant  dashed  past  Ngete, 
regardless  of  the  frantic  shouts  of  the  people,  and  the 
energetic  gestures  of  this  interesting  queen. 

At  3 p.  m.  they  stopped  in  the  district  of  Muleke  to 
treat  for  fuel  and  bananas.  The  women  wore  brass 
collars  of  ten  to  sixty  pound’s  weight,  also  heavy  leglets 
and  armlets.  They  dressed  their  hair  in  towering  top- 
knots.  They  carried  long  spears  on  slender  shafts 
beautifully  ground.  The  people  are  the  Basazza,  whose 
district  along  the  left  bank  extends  far  inland. 

The  course  for  the  next  four  or  five  days  was  up  a 
deep  and  gently  flowing  river,  without  obstacles  of  any 
sort,  and  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  four  hundred 
yards  wide.  The  soil,  as  far  as  could  be  judged  from 
the  river,  was  highly  fertile,  and  was  covered  with  rank 
grass  and  little  clumps  of  cottonwood  trees,  with  once 
or  twice  a grove  of  hard  wood.  On  the  26th  the  broad 
sedgy  valley  disappeared,  and  the  “river  washed  on  the 
right  the  base  of  well-wooded  and  green  hills  of  moderate 
height,  and  green-topped  bluffs  crowned  with  populous 
villages  were  seen.”  They  came  to  the  confluence  of 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


457 


two  channels.  The  left-hand,  a hundred  yards  wide, 
they  were  told,  led  to  Ngana,  but  whether  Ngana  were  a 
lake,  a village,  or  a district,  they  could  not  determine. 
They  chose  the  right-hand  channel,  some  three  hundred 
yards  wide.  “The  right  bank  was  a tree-clothed  steep, 
exquisitely  green,  and  the  large  umbrageous  red-wood 
trees  towered  from  near  the  water’s  edge  far  up  the  bluffy 
face  of  the  hills ; then  came  sedge  for  a short  distance, 
and  then  the  expanse  of  a lake. 

No  white  man  had  ever  seen  this  lake  before.  In 
honor  of  his  royal  patron,  Stanley  named  it  Lake  Leo- 
pold II.  He  entered  it  on  the  26th  of  May,  and  by  the 
31st  had  followed  its  shores  round  to  the  point  from 
whence  he  started.  Its  superficial  surface  he  estimated 
at  800  square  miles.  The  depth  he  found  to  be  from 
ten  to  twenty  feet.  It  might  be  considerably  less  at  low 
water.  The  southern  shores  are  rock-bound  and  very 
uneven ; the  northern  shores  are  bordered  by  hills  rising 
gently  from  150  to  300  feet,  and  covered  with  woods 
with  now  and  then  a towering  palm  or  cottonwood  to 
break  the  monotony. 

The  shores  of  the  lake  showed  little  token  of  hu- 
man presence.  The  inhabitants  of  the  upper  river  had 
been  shy,  and  such  as  were  seen  about  the  lake  were 
equally  so.  The  expedition  had  been  provisioned  for 
only  nine  days,  and  eight  of  those  were  passed  when 
they  entered  the  lake.  Although  their  food-supply  was 
nearly  exhausted,  it  would  not  do  to  neglect  the  first  and 
probably  the  last  opportunity  they  would  ever  have  of 
exploring  it.  Accordingly  when,  on  the  28th,  they'Saw 
half  a dozen  small  canoes  well  out  in  the  lake,  and  the 
fishermen  engrossed  with  hauling  their  seine  on  board,  an 
attempt  was  made  to  reach  them  and  open  communica- 
tion. At  sight  of  the  little  steamer,  still  a mile  away, 


458  EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 

they  seized  their  paddles  and  shot  away  over  the  tran- 
quil surface.  One  alone  remained.  Absorbed  with  the 
hauling  in  of  his  net,  he  bad  not  noticed  the  En  Avant 
till  startled  by  its  snorting  steam  and  dashing  wheels. 
He  seizes  his  oars  and  bends  with  all  his  energy.  In 
vain ; the  strange  monster  is  pressing  him,  and  the  dis- 
tance is  lessening  every  moment.  In  despair  he  leaps 
overboard  as  the  steamer  sweeps  past  his  empty  canoe. 
He  appears  swimming  at  a little  distance.  As  the  boat 
comes  close  he  dives,  when  Uledi  and  Dualla  leap  after 
and  seize  him.  They  bring  him  up,  place  him  in  the 
boat,  and  speak  kindly  to  him.  When  at  last  he  can 
speak,  he  says,  “What  did  you  pick  me  out  for?  There 
are  many  better  than  I in  our  village.”  The  slave-, 
catchers  had  been  there.  Having  obtained  what  infor- 
mation he  could  give,  his  hands  were  filled  with  beads, 
a dozen  handkerchiefs  were  laid  beside  him,  his  canoe 
was  brought  alongside,  a parcel  of  cowries  was  given  him, 
and  with  his  treasures  he  was  invited  to  step  in.  He 
did  not  seem  to  realize  that  he  was  a free  and  rich  man 
till  the  distance  was  such  it  would  be  impossible  to 
catch  him  again.  Then  it  was  that  his  figure,  rising  to 
its  full  height,  showed  that  his  sense  of  escape  and  of 
satisfaction  was  now  complete. 

No  large  stream  was  found  entering  the  lake,  al- 
though there  were  many  small  ones.  The  largest  seen 
entered  from  the  northeast,  and  was  explored  five  miles. 

When  the  circumnavigation  was  concluded  on  the 
31st,  Mr.  Stanley  found  himself  oppressed  with  a death- 
ly languor  and  with  aches  in  all  his  bones.  At  6 :20  p. 
m.  the  next  day  they  arrived  at  Musye  Munnono,  and 
trade  was  lively  till  the  hungry  travelers  supplied  their 
wants.  At  4 :45  p.  m.  the  day  following,  they  reached 
Musye,  and  Gankabi  received  their  excuses.  Three  days 


46© 


EXPLORING  A NEW  REGION. 


they  halted  here,  while  Stanley  felt  that  his  illness  was 
growing  worse.  On  the  7th  they  departed,  and  reached 
Mswata  at  3 :45  p.  m. 

By  this  time  Stanley  was  helpless.  On  the  11th 
he  was  placed  in  the  boat,  and  on  the  12th  reached 
Leopoldville,  and  was  carried  to  the  station,  dimly  con- 
scious. 

Five  days  later  he  was  told  that  some  Europeans, 
long  waited  for,  had  arrived,  and  was  aware  of  their 
presence  at  his  bed-side,  but  knew  no  more. 

There  were  brief  intervals  of  consciousness  each  day, 
and  in  one  of  these  he  ordered  a caravan  to  be  prepared 
to  conduct  the  Zanzibaris  to  the  coast,  as  they  had  ful- 
filled their  three  years’  service. 

On  the  27th  of  June,  Stanley  was  at  Mpakambendi, 
and  believed  himself  to  be  out  of  danger.  On  the  28th, 
at  Manyanga,  he  had  symptoms  of  gastritis,  and  there 
was  a dropsical  enlargement  of  the  lower  limbs.  Sixteen 
hours  later  he  was  at  Isangila,  resting  in  a little  room 
which,  decorated  with  calico  and  curtains  by  the  hand  of 
Mr.  Swinburne,  looked  more  like  home  than  anything  he 
had  seen  for  years. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


ON  the  8th  of  July,  Stanley  arrived  at  Vivi.  He 
was  met  by  Herr  Lindner  and  Dr.  Peschnel 
Loeche.  The  latter  presently  produced  a paper 
authorizing  him,  in  case  Stanley  should  be  disabled,  to 
assume  command  on  the  Congo.  This,  to  Stanley,  was 
a profound  relief,  and  as  the  state  of  his  health  demanded 
it,  he  decided  to  return  at  once  to  Europe. 

On  the  15th  he  embarked  on  the  steamer  Heron, 
and  four  days  later  was  at  St.  Paul  de  Loanda.  From 
this  port  the  steamer  for  Europe  had  just  sailed,  and  in 
consequence  he  was  compelled  to  wait  a month  for  an- 
other. 

In  October  he  was  in  Europe,  and  had  reported  to 
the  Association.  He  had  been  sent  out  to  establish 
three  stations,  and  had  established  five,  not  including 
the  landing-place  at  Mpakambendi.  He  had  advanced 
four  hundred  and  forty  miles,  from  the  ocean  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Kwa,  and  had  opened  a continuous  and 
steady  communication  by  land  and  water.  He  had 
found  a magnificent  country,  and  an  amiable  people 
eager  for  trade ; but  something  further  must  be  done  to 
reap  the  advantages  in  sight.  A railroad  must  be  built 
to  connect  the  Lower  with  the  Upper  Congo,  and  the 
Association  must  treat  with  the  natives  and  treat  with 
Europe  for  right  of  control  in  this  vast  region. 

(461) 


462 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


With  these  sentiments  the  Association  agreed,  and 
if  Stanley  would  lead  they  would  follow  him  with  all 
necessary  men  and  means.  With  some  reluctance  he 
consented,  and  after  two  months  spent  on  the  soil  of 
Europe,  he  was  again  afloat,  and  bound  for  Africa.  On 
the  14th  day  of  December  he  entered  Banana  Creek, 
and  on  the  20th  was  at  Vivi  with  physical  energies  re- 
cuperated by  five  months’  absence  from  the  expedition. 

He  found  disorder  here  and  everywhere.  “The  Ger- 
man gentleman  who  had  presented  such  high  credentials 
for  potent  force  of  character  and  earnestness  of  purpose? 
well-known  experience  and  scientific  acquirements,  had 
gone ; he  had  departed  from  the  Congo  nearly  a month 
before ! The  expedition  had  been  nearly  four  weeks 
without  its  leader.  The  Chief  of  Vivi,  the  second  in 
rank,  had  also  disappeared ; the  Chief  of  Leopoldville, 
the  third  in  importance,  was  rusticating  on  the  coast ; 
the  Chief  of  Isangila  had  hurried  homeward ; the  second 
Chief  of  Leopoldville  had  fled ; the  captain  of  La  Bel- 
gique had  been  dismissed  by  somebody ; En  ~Avant  had 
been  robbed  by  a spiteful  miscreant  of  her  steam  valve, 
and  had  ever  since  lain  idle  at  the  landing-place  of 
Leopoldville,  as  useless  as  a log ; an  engineer,  by  some 
odd  freak,  was  doing  duty  at  Vivi  as  a clerk  or  store- 
keeper, and  some  person  was  reported  to  be  acting  with 
unlimited  powers  in  the  interior,  and  in  a manner  not 
very  conducive  to  peace  and  order.”  A certain  party  had 
control  of  the  steamers,  and  instead  of  landing  goods  at 
Vivi,  was  landing  them  a mile  below,  leaving  the  officials 
and  employees  at  Vivi  to  overcome  the  remaining  dis- 
tance as  best  they  might.  The  general  condition  of 
affairs  could  hardly  have  been  worse.  Mr.  Stanley,  in 
accordance  with  his  usual  course,  carefully  conceals  the 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION.  463 

names  of  any  whose  conduct  must  be  mentioned  to  their 
discredit. 

Order  was  speedily  evolved  from  confusion,  and 
activity  succeeded  to  supineness.  Lieut.  J.  G.  Elliott 
was  sent  to  establish  a line  of  stations  from  Isangila 
north  to  the  Kuilu,  and  down  the  river  to  the  ocean ; 
while  Lieut.  Yan  de  Yelde  was  sent  with  the  steamer 
Heron  to  the  mouth  of  the  same  river  to  negotiate  with 
the  natives  for  a station  there.  Both  these  gentlemen 
performed  their  work  promptly  and  with  entire  success. 
The  object  of  these  expeditions  was  to  secure  an  alterna- 
tive route  to  the  interior,  should  that  by  the  Congo  ever 
be  closed.  Captain  Hansens  was  sent  to  establish  a 
line  of  stations  from  Manyanga  to  the  upper  Kuilu. 
Lieut.  Yalcke  was  dispatched  to  make  treaties  with  the 
chiefs  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Congo  and  to  establish 
at  Sabuka  a station  for  provisions.  Lieut.  Parfoury, 
with  forty  men,  was  detailed  to  construct  a good  road 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river  from  Manyanga  to  Leopold- 
ville. 

On  the  15th  of  January  Massala,  the  native  lingster 
at  Yivi,  was  shot  by  a French  trader  connected  with  the 
Lower  Congo  transport  service.  He  was  a fine,  well-be- 
haved man,  a little  fond  of  grog,  but  never  drunk.  He 
was,  in  fact,  harmless  and  invaluable.  Though  the 
wound  was  not  mortal,  the  natives  were  greatly  excited, 
as  the  fault  was  clearly  with  the  other  party.  A large 
force  poured  down  for  vengeance,  but  the  culprit  was 
safe  in  the  hands  of  the  white  men.  He  was  tried  and 
convicted  and  the  chiefs  were  asked  to  state  the  amount 
of  fine  that  would  be  satisfactory.  They  went  aside  for 
private  conference  and  returned  with  a demand  for  goods 
to  the  amount  of  £430.  The  trader  professed  his  utter 
inability  to  pay  such  a sum.  Through  Stanley’s  exertions 


464 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


the  sum  was  finally  reduced  to  £24:  4s,  the  revolver 
which  had  been  used  was  broken,  and  the  trader  sent 
out  of  the  country,  lest  he  might  kill  somebody  else. 
The  story  illustrates  the  native  severity  against  the  crime 
of  murder  or  assault  with  intent  to  kill. 

As  Stanley,  with  Lieutenants  Grang  and  Anderson 
and  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  colored  men,  were  ad- 
vancing at  the  rate  of  two  and  one -half  miles  a day  with 
the  steamer  Royal  along  the  old  road  constructed  four 
years  before,  news  came  that  the  garrison  at  Leopold- 
ville were  starving.  When  he  reached  there  about  the 
end  of  March,  he  was  surprised  and  grieved  at  the  con- 
dition of  things.  Instead  of  improvement  there  was 
everywhere  neglect  and  decay.  The  rank  grass  in  the 
garden  and  elsewhere  had  grown  uninterrupted.  The 
whaleboat  and  the  En  Avant  were  rotting  uncared  for 
in  the  river.  The  new  steamer  A.  I.  A.  (Association  In- 
ternationale Africaine)  had  been  on  the  stocks  for 
months,  and  was  making  little  progress. 

Whites  and  natives  had  quarreled,  and  the  latter 
had  declared  a rigid  non-intercourse.  Ngalyema  had 
not  visited  the  white  men  for  six  months,  the  natives 
brought  no  food,  and  hence  the  garrison  were  on  the  verge 
of  starvation. 

In  the  absence  of  the  commander  there  had  been 
some  fantastic  capers.  Lieutenant  Kallina,  a young 
Austrian,  resolved  to  distinguish  himself  on  the  Upper 
Congo.  With  this  purpose  he  purchases  a canoe  from 
Ngalyema,  mans  it  half  with  natives,  half  with  em- 
ployees at  Leopoldville,  dons  a helmet  and  heavy  cavalry 
boots,  straps  a double-barreled  rifle  over  one  shoulder, 
a cartridge-holder  over  the  other,  and  W belt  of  pistols 
round  the  waist,  waves  an  important  adieu,  seats  him- 
self on  the  end  of  his  black  portmanteau  in  his  dug-out, 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


465 


and  is  off  for  the  regions  beyond.  Before  the  craft  is 
out  of  sight  of  the  station  it  is  capsized,  and  Kallina 
and  four  of  the  crew  are  drowned. 

Not  many  days  after,  an  officer  starts  up  the  river 
in  a canoe.  Crossing  to  Kallina  Point,  the  canoe  is 
swept  down  by  the  strong  current  to  the  very  verge  of 
the  cataract,  and  he  only  saves  himself  and  companions 
by  snatching  wildly  at  the  overhanging  branches  along 
the  northern  bank. 

Another  officer  buys  a canoe,  fits  it  with  a keel  and 
sail,  and  proceeds  grandly  up  the  river  before  a brisk 
breeze.  The  wind  falls  and  the  current  sweeps  him 
downward.  His  danger  is  seen  and  a pirogue  is  manned 
for  his  relief.  In  the  gathering  darkness  he  is  found  in 
an  inland  channel  shouting  wildly  for  help,  and  is 
brought  back  “ a sadder  and  a wiser  man.5’ 

On  the  8th  of  April  the  neighboring  chiefs,  by  the 
invitation  of  Stanley,  met  at  Leopoldville.  Ngalyema 
was  their  spokesman.  He  stated  the  causes  of  offense 
which  had  driven  him  and  the  rest  into  non-intercourse. 
The  chief  of  the  station  was  heard  in  reply.  Then  Stan- 
ley found  fault  with  both  parties,  and  exhorted  to  peace. 
“The  next  day  a treaty  of  peace  was  made  uniting  all 
the  chiefs  of  the  Wambundu,  Kintamo,  and  the  Asso- 
ciation in  a confederation  for  the  preservation  of  peace 
in  the  regions  south  and  west  of  Stanley  Pool.  The 
sovereign  power  was  vested  in  the  Association,  which 
reserved  to  itself  the  power  to  declare  war,  and  to  arbi- 
trate on  all  questions  likely  to  endanger  the  peace. 
It  was  also  further  stipulated  that  the  flag  of  the  Asso- 
ciation should  be  hoisted  over  the  villages  of  the  signa- 
tory chiefs  every  Sunday  morning,  and  upon  all  great 
and  festive  occasions,  notice  of  which  would  be  given  by 
hoisting  a flag  from  the  summit  of  Leopold  Hill. 


A MADI  VILLAGE . 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


467 


“It  was  further  stipulated  that  no  foreigner  could 
enter  any  district  belonging  to  any  of  the  confederated 
chiefs  without  a recommendation  from  the  officers  of 
the  Association,  who  would  guarantee  that  such  stranger 
was  a bona  fide  trader,  or  that  he  was  not  a political 
agent.” 

The  work  of  negotiating  similar  treaties  was,  at 
this  time, -being  vigorously  pushed  in  several  directions 
by  leading  officers  of  the  expedition,  and  in  no  long  time 
hundreds  of  names  had  been  secured. 

By  the  8th  of  May  Leopoldville  had  been  relieved 
of  its  squalor,  and  had  been  transformed  by  material 
changes.  The  perfect  confidence  of  the  natives  had 
been  won.  As  a consequence  Leopoldville  came  to  have 
a market  of  its  own — a distinction  essential  to  its  dig- 
nity. The  women  came  from  the  surrounding  neighbor- 
hood to  dispose  of  their  products  to  the  new  settlers. 
Grouped  on  the  plaza  with  their  children,  Stanley  re- 
garded their  presence  with  the  highest  satisfaction. 

The  A.  I.  A.  steam-launch  had  been  finished, 
tried  and  approved.  The  Royal  had  been  fully  re- 
paired, and  the  hull  newly  coppered,  and  the  En  Avant 
had  been  put  in  perfect  condition. 

On  the  9th  the  expedition,  with  eighty  men,  and  ma- 
terials for  the  construction  of  two  small  stations,  started 
up  the  river , the  En  Avant  towing  the  whaleboat,  the 
Royal  towing  a sixty-foot  canoe,  and  the  A.  I.  A.  bring- 
ing up  the  rear. 

Two  hours  later,  as  they  passed  Kinshassa,  the  na- 
tives crowded  to  the  bank  and  gave  them  a rousing 
cheer.  On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  they  were  at 
Mswata.  Lieutenant  Janssen  had  completed  his  sta- 
tion in  good  style,  and  the  “White  Chicken  ” and  Papa 
^obila  were  on  the  best  of  terms. 


468 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANISATION. 


They  tarried  here  a few  days  to  purchase  provisions 
for  the  further  journey.  Fumu  Ntaba,  chief  of  Mbe, 
an  extensive  district  on  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
came  with  women  and  slaves  and  sixty  musketeers.  He 
had  made  blood-brotherhood  with  Yalcke,  and  desired 
Stanley  to  send  white  men  to  live  at  Mbe.  Stanley 
promised  to  think  about  it.  k 

“Gobila,  genial,  aldermanic  Gobila — Papa  Gobila 
— had  been  listening  quietly  to  all  this,  never  uttering  a 
word,  but  an  hour  after  he  came  to  me  and  said : — 

“ ‘ Bula-  Matari,  don’t  you  go  to  Mbe;  you  will  be 
a fool  if  you  will.  There  are  no  people  there,  nothing 
but  a little  ivory,  to  be  had.  Your  bread  will  cost 
you  three  times  more  than  it  costs  3^ou  here.  There  is 
nothing  in  Mbe  but  elephants  and  lions.  Ask  yourself 
why  we  should  have  left  Mbe,  if  it  were  not  that  it  was 
a poor  country.  I prefer  to  live  with  Gandelay  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river,  than  with  Fumu  Ntaba  on  the 
north  side.  Ngalyema  of  Kintamo,  Nchulu  of  Kin- 
shassa,  myself  and  people,  have  all  run  away  from 
there,  because  they  were  all  killing  one  another  at  Mbe, 
continually  fighting,  fighting.  We  have  now  all  got 
rich,  and  have  slaves,  ivory,  and  plenty  of  wives  on 
this  side,  but  if  we  went  over  to  Mbe,  we  should  lose 
everything.  Oh,  they  will  take  your  cloth,  and  speak 
you  fair  so  long  as  you  will  give  it  to  them ; but  what 
will  you  get  for  it  all  ? If  you  think  I speak  falsely,  go 
over  to  Ganchu,  and  try  to  buy  even  a roll  of  bread, 
and  see  for  yourself.  They  come  to  me  for  food,  and 
I send  my  canoes  full  of  bread  every  week  to  Mfwa  and 
Malima.  Did  you  see  any  lions  or  buffaloes  on  this 
side  as  you  came  up  ? No  ! Well  that  proves  it.  The 
Banfunu  of  the  south  side  are  too  numerous,  and 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


469 


Nfumu  Nguma  has  too  many  people  to  allow  lions  and 
buffaloes  to  live  long  here.” 

On  the  15th  they  left  Mswata,  and  on  the  16th 
were  at  Bolobo. 

“From  Boma  to  Vivi  we  steamed  between  two 
lines  of  mountain,  heights ; between  Vivi  and  Isangila 
we  traveled  in  a narrow  valley  parallel  with  the  chas- 
mic  trough  of  the  Congo;  between  Isangila  and  Man- 
yanga  our  boats  ran  up  the  crooked  ravine-like  valley 
of  the  river;  between  Manyanga  and  Leopoldville  we 
marched  along  the  edge  of  the  fracture  in  the  highlands 
through  which  the  Congo  continuously  roars ; then  after 
a slight  relief  obtained  by  the  lake-like  expansion  called 
Stanley  Pool,  we  have  been  confined  again  between  two 
mountain  lines  of  more  or  less  picturesqueness,  up  as 
far  as  the  rocky  point  above  Chumbiri,  to  finally  emerge 
Into  this  lacustrine  breadth  which  the  voluminous 
waters  of  the  Congo  have  scooped  out  in  the  plains  and 
lowlands  which  we  now  behold  extended  on  either  hand, 
with  scarcely  any  extraordinary  rise  or  hill,  until  we 
shall  approach  the  Byerre  affluent. 

“The  real  heart  of  equatorial  Africa  is  this  central 
fertile  region,  whose  bountiful  and  unparalleled  richness 
of  soil  will  repay  the  toil  and  labor  required  to  bring  it 
within  the  reach  of  Europe.  It  was  not  the  uplands  of  the 
maritime  region,  with  their  millions  of  ravines,  and  nar- 
row, oven-hot  valleys,  and  bald  grass  tops,  and  limited 
bits  of  grassy  plateaus,  with  here  and  there  a grove  of 
jungly  forest  scattered  like  islets  amid  the  grassy  wastes, 
that  I strove  for ; it  was  this  million  square  miles  of  al- 
most level  area  which  we  may  call  the  kernel  that  was 
worth  the  travel  of  piercing  the  235  miles  of  thick,  rude 
mountain  husk  which  separates  it  from  the  energies  of 


470 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


Europeans,  who,  could  they  but  reach  it,  would  soon  * 
teach  the  world  what  good  might  come  out  of  Africa.” 

Bolobo  is  a district  with  a river  front  of  about  twelve 
miles.  Within  this  distance  -are  about  fifteen  villages 
with  perhaps  10,000  inhabitants.  About  midway  is  the 
station  of  Bolobo,  founded  by  Captain  Hanssens.  The 
senior  chief  is  Ibaka. 

On  Stanley’s  arrival,  there  was  a state  of  war  be- 
tween the  garrison  and  the  nearest  village,  ruled  by  a chief 
called  Gatula.  Gatula’s  female  slave,  with  other  women, 
frequently  visited  [the  garrison,  to  sell  bread,  corn, 
chickens  and  sugar  cane,  and  on  one  or  more  occasions 
stayed  longer  than  Gatula  thought  proper.  His  jeal- 
ousy was  excited ; he  beat  the  woman,  and  limited  the 
privileges  of  the  garrison.  Four  days  after,  eight  men 
proceeded  to  cut  timber,  four  of  them  by  Gatula’s  house. 
Two  of  them  were  immediately  killed.  The  next  day  a 
native  climbed  into  a tree  and  challenged  Sergeant 
Khamis  to  come  out  of  the  station  and  fight.  The  Ser- 
geant came  out,  and  at  the  distance  of  100  yards  shot 
the  native  dead. 

Stanley  was  wholly  averse  to  fighting ; nevertheless 
something  must  be  done.  He  sent,  therefore,  this  mes- 
sage : “Blood  must  be  shed  for  blood,  or  money  must 
pay  for  it.  Gatula  must  pay  or  fight.  I will  wait  two 
suns  for  the  money.  If  it  is  not  paid,  I will  go  to  Gat- 
ula’s village  and  bring  him  out.” 

A council  of  chiefs  was  called,  and  Ibaka  presided, 
not  however,  till  he  had  received  a fee  of  <£3  in  advance. 
Gatula  was  more  willing  to  pay  than  to  fight ; the  coun- 
cil was  adjourned  to  the  next  day,  and  Ibaka’s  delicate 
task  was  to  sound  Bula  Matari,  and  to  ascertain  about 
what  would  be  satisfactory.  On  the  day  following  Bula 
Matari  demanded  a fee  before  the  council  could  proceed, 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


471 


and  Gatula  had  to  pay  again.  Gatula  was  fined  £50  ; 
costs  added  brought  the  total  to  i>86  6s.  8d.  Gatula 
blustered  and  refused.  Two  days  later  he  brought  a 
tusk  of  ivory  weighing  58  pounds  as  the  utmost  he  would 
give.  This  was  promptly  rejected.  The  next  day  he 
paid  £4=2  4s.  and  was  accepted.  After  this  highly  civil- 
ized fashion  was  murder  compounded  and  peace  re- 
stored. 

“One  must  not  be  hasty  in  judging  from  the  poverty 
of  their  garb  that  the  chiefs  of  this  trading  district  are 
poor.  They  are  frugally  inclined,  having  a certain 
standard  of  wealth  which  they  must  endeavor  to  achieve 
before  they  bear  on  their  persons  in  everyday  life  the 
habit  befitting  their  station  and  prosperity.  Thus  Man- 
gi,  residing  at  Kintamo,  is  the  junior  chief  of  Itimba, 
Bolobo.  He  visits  Leopoldville  daily,  dressed  in  a cot- 
ton robe  of  dark  blue  baft,  but  he  is  lord  of  three  vil- 
lages, and  may  probably  be  worth  £3, 000.  Lugumbila, 
Vizier  to  Ibaka,  and  his  oldest  slave,  is  probably  worth 
an  equal  amount.  But  Manguru,  of  Bolobo,  is  a nabob ; 
if  his  worldly  belongings  were  sold  at  auction  in  Bolobo, 
it  is  very  possible  his  effects  would  realize  double  that 
sum.  His  canoes  and  slaves  exploit  every  creek  and  af- 
fluent as  far  as  Irebu  and  Ubangi.  At  Kimbangu,  on 
the  south  bank  of  Stanley  Pool,  and  at  Malima  on  the 
north  bank,  he  has  a faithful  factor ; while  at  Bolobo  he 
keeps  a hundred  armed  slaves.  Yet  Manguru,  now  well 
advanced  in  years,  paddles  his  own  canoe  along  the 
river  front  of  the  district,  trading  from  one  place  to  an- 
other daily.  It  is  this  Rothschild  of  Bolobo  who  in- 
duced Gatula  to  choose  between  two  evils — war,  or  for- 
feit of  money,  and  by  his  arguments  convinced  him  that 
to  lose  money  was  a less  evil  than  the  loss  of  his  life  and 
property.  ” 


472 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


On  the  28th  of  May  the  flotilla  left  Bolobo,  and 
proceeded  up  the  river.  The  rate  of  progress  was  twen- 
ty to  thirty  miles  a day.  The  scenery  was  magnificent. 
The  low,  wooded  hills  along  either  bank,  the  river  two  to 
six  miles  wide,  sometimes  a single  stream,  oftener 
broken  by  many  islands  clothed  with  palms  and  other 
vegetation  of  the  tropics,  the  various  forms  of  animal 
life  that  peopled  the  bank,  the  stream,  and  the  air  above, 
composed  a scene  of  ever  varying  interest.  They  passed 
many  villages  along  the  river.  Here  a band  of  elephants 
dashed  away  through  the  brake  at  sight  of  the  steamers ; 
parrots  and  other  gaily  colored  birds  chattered  in  the 
forest;  buffalos  grazed  along  the  shore,  hippopotami, 
uncouth  and  ungainly,  plunged  with  a heavy  swash  into 
deeper  pools ; crocodiles  scudded  about ; antelope  were 
scattered  over  the  plains ; occasionally  there  were  traces 
of  nobler  game.  The  rhinoceros  was  not  seen.  This 
ungainly  creature  is  found  chiefly  in  East  and  South 
Africa.  Of  a sullen  and  peppery  temper,  he  is  easily 
enraged;  and  when  angry  charges  any  suspicious  object, 
be  it  beast,  bush,  man,  or  even  a hunters’  camp.  In 
the  latter  case  he  may  make  a serious  disturbance. 

On  the  2d  of  June  a stop  was  made  at  Lukolela 
for  the  purchase  of  provisions.  The  natives  at  first  were 
shy,  and  the  good  offices  of  Msenne,  the  guide  supplied 
by  Papa  Gobila,  were  called  into  requisition.  From  the 
cabin  deck  of  the  En  Avant  he  called  to  the  bronze- 
colored  people  along  the  shore  : 

“ Ho ! Wy-yanzi,  tribesmen  of  Lukolela,  sons  of 
Iuka  and  Mungawa,  whose  names  are  beloved  by  my 
lord  Gobila ! Ho,  you  men ! Know  you  not  Gobila — 
Gobila  of  Mswata,  the  friend  of  Wy-yanzi  ? Said  Go- 
bila to  me,  ‘ Here,  take  Bula  Matari,  the  only  Bula 
Matari,  the  good  Bula  Matari.’  Wy-yanzi  of  Lukolela, 


474 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


here  sits  Bula  Matari!  He  has  come  here  to  make 
friends  with  you.  He  wants  food.  He  is  prepared  to 
pay  well.  Now  is  the  time  for  Iuka  and  Mungawa  to 
show  themselves  kind  friends  of  Bula  Matari.’  ” 

But  the  answer  from  the  shore  was  that  the  chiefs 
were  all  dead,  that  many  of  the  people  had  been  de- 
stroyed by  small-pox  and  the  rest  were  starving.  The 
flotilla  turned  into  the  shore  at  the  upper  end  of  the  set- 
tlement and  encamped.  The  natives  recovered  from 
their  shyness  and  soon  came  with  abundant  provisions 
for  sale.  When  asked  to  account  for  the  change  in  their 
manners,  they  replied : 

“‘Oh,  why  do  you  remember  what  we  said  in  our 
fear  of  you  ? Neither  our  oldest  people  nor  their  fathers 
before  them  ever  saw  or  heard  of  such  things  as  these,’ 
pointing  to  the  steamers.” 

On  the  4th  of  June  they  passed  the  populous  dis- 
tricts of  Ngombe,  Nkuku,  Butunu  and  Usindi.  The 
natives  of  Nkuku  followed  in  canoes  eager  to  trade,  and 
sold  two  Muscovy  ducks.  Those  of  Butunu  were  frantic 
in  their  delight,  crying,  “Good ! good  ! ” 

“One  hour  beyond  Butunu  we  came  to  the  popu- 
lous district  of  Usindi,  the  inhabitants  of  which  were 
outrageous  in  their  clamors  of  applause.  These  were  so 
irrepressible  in  their  joy  that  a hearty  response  from  our 
side  was  not  deemed  enough.  About  a hundred  manned 
their  canoes,  followed  us,  bawled  at  us,  and  finally 
stormed  at  us  in  a friendly  manner,  until  we  halted. 
Eleven  fellows  immediately  came  aboard  of  the  En  Avant, 
sprawled  over  everybody,  shook  bands  with  white  and 
black,  old  and  young,  and  when  they  saw  the  black 
boiler  they  seemed  to  look  so  earnestly  at  it  that  it  might 
have  been  thought  they  would  embrace  it.  More  of  those 
thoughtless,  irrepressible  rogues  would  have  come 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


47  5 


aboard  had  we  permitted  it,  but  as  we  were  already 
captured  we  yielded  and  steamed  back  again  to  the 
landing-place  of  Usindi,  the  hardy  eleven  looking  as 
proud  as  though  they  had  done  a gallant  deed  worthy  of 
the  Victoria  or  the  Iron  Cross.” 

The  reception  of  the  party  was  all  that  could  have 
been  desired.  The  explanation  of  this  sudden  friend- 
ship was  found  in  the  fact  that  many  of  these  people 
had  been  to  Kintamo  and  Leopoldville,  and  had  seen 
the  houses,  the  boats,  and  the  ways  of  the  white  man. 

A little  farther  up  they  passed  the  district  of  Irebu. 
The  bronze-bodied  people  lined  the  shore,  and  gazed  in 
silence.  A few  miles  farther  up  they  were  overtaken  by 
canoes,  with  an  invitation  to  visit  Mangombo,  chief  of 
Irebu. 

With  the  intelligence  and  worldly- wisdom  of  this 
people  Stanley  was  much  impressed.  With  articles  and 
values  they  were  perfectly  familiar,  and  knew  every 
landing-place  along  the  river  for  six  hundred  miles. 

However,  a civil  war  was  then  in  progress,  and  as 
Stanley  and  Mangombo  talked,  the  sound  of  fire  arms  was 
borne  to  their  ears. 

The  next  morning  Stanley  and  Mangombo  made 
blood-brotherhood.  “ The  fetish- man  pricked  each  of  our 
right  arms  and  pressed  the  blood  out  of  them ; then  with  a 
pinch  of  scrapings  from  my  gun-stock,  a little  salt,  a 
few  hasty  scrapings  from  a long  pod  dropped  over  the 
wounded  arms,  the  black  and  white  arms  were 
mutually  rubbed  together.  The  fetish-man  took  the 
long  pod  in  his  hand  and  slightly  touched  our  necks, 
our  heads,  our  arms,  and  our  legs,  muttering  rapidly 
his  litany  of  incantations.  What  was  left  of  the  medi- 
cine Mangombo  and  I carefully  folded  in  a banana  leaf, 


476 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


and  we  bore  it  reverently  between  us  to  a banana  grove 
close  by,  and  buried  it  out  of  sight.” 

Then  Mangombo  told  of  the  unhappy  war  which  he 
was  waging  with  Magwala  and  Mpika,  chiefs  of  Lower 
and  Central  Irebu,  and  implored  Stanley’s  aid.  Stan- 
ley persuaded  them  to  stop  fighting  till  he  should  go  to 
Ikengo  and  return,  when  he  would  arbitrate  and  settle 
their  strife. 

On  the  8th  of  June  the  flotilla  was  passing  the 
villages  of  Ikengo.  The  people  in  scores  of  tiny  canoes 
shot  out  to  the  boats,  and  like  hotel  runners,  proclaimed 
the  praises  of  their  separate  villages. 

“‘Come  to  Ikengo !’  they  cried.  ‘Ikengo  is  rich; 
Ikengo  has  abundance  of  food/  ‘ No,  come  to  Itumbu  !’ 
‘ Come  and  see  Inganda ! Inganda  has  ivory,  slaves, 
women,  goats,  sheep  and  pigs.  Inganda  is  blessed  with 
abundance.  Stanley,  have  you  forgotten  us ; we  who 
traded  with  you  years  ago  ? ’ ‘ Ah ! Stanley,  come  on  to 
Ikengo!  There’s  plenty  of  beer  and  wine  in  Ikengo.’ 
Thus  these  extraordinary  people  extolled  the  virtues  of 
their  various  villages,  making  the  river  alive  with  their 
increasing  throng  and  restless  movement.” 

Inganda  was  the  temporary  stopping  place,  but 
Wangata,  a little  farther  up  the  river,  was  selected  as  a 
place  for  a permanent  station.  Lieutenant  Vangele  was 
placed  in  charge  with  twenty-six  men,  and  Lieutenant 
Coquilhat  with  twenty  more  was  left  to  assist  him  till 
further  re-enforcements  could  be  sent  from  Leopoldville. 

On  the  21st  the  expedition  was  again  at  Mangom- 
bo’s  in  Irebu.  The  strife  of  Upper  against  Lower  and 
Central  Irebu  had  broken  out  afresh  an  hour  before. 
The  parties  had  tired  of  waiting  for  Stanley’s  return. 

After  consultation  with  Mangombo,  Stanley,  with 
the  consent  of  the  contending  factions,  sent  men  to  per- 


DISORDER  AND  REORGANIZATION. 


477 


emptorily  summon  the  warriors  to  a council.  They 
obeyed,  in  some  cases  unwillingly ; Stanley’s  envoys  at 
times  striking  up  their  guns  when  they  were  about  to 
fire  on  the  enemy. 

The  council  sat  the  next  day  with  Stanley  as  judge. 
The  Melafu  fee  had  first  to  be  paid,  and  Stanley  hinted 
that  his  share  of  it  must  be  large.  Fifty  brass  rods 
were  distributed  to  the  chiefs ; one  hundred  and  twenty 
were  handed  to  him. 

Mangombo  recited  the  story  of  the  war.  The  elders 
thought  it  such  a pity  that  the  combatants  should  go  on 
killing  each  other.  Then  Stanley  decided  that  the  war 
lay  in  the  obstinacy  of  Mangombo,  who  had,  in  endeavor- 
ing to  obtain  redress  for  a wrong  done  him,  grossly 
wronged  his  neighbors.  The  Nzambi  (God)  was  angry 
with  him,  and  in  consequence  many  more  of  his  men 
had  been  lost.  Let  him  give  the  pledge  of  peace  and 
bury  the  war. 

The  elders  applauded,  Mangombo  yielded ; the  pledges 
of  peace  were,  from  Central  Irebu  ‘‘two  pieces  of  un- 
bleached domestic,  one  gourd  of  palm-wine,  one  keg  of 
damp  gun-powder,  and  one  broken  musket  from  each 
faction.  Then  four  elders  from  Upper  Irebu  who  were 
neutrals,  and  four  elders  from  Central  Irebu  took  charge 
of  the  peace-pledges,  and  in  the  center  of  the  plain  be- 
hind Irebu,  which  was  the  usual  battle-field,  a hole  was 
dug  in  the  ground,  and  the  articles  interred.  Salvos 
of  musketry  from  each  rank  of  the  combatants  were 
fired  over  the  grave  of  the  war,  and  Irebu  was  saved,  it 
may  be  hoped,  from  the  horrors  of  internal  strife  for 
many  long  years  to  come.” 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


Hday  or  two  after  Stanley  steamed  up  the  Lukanga, 
300  yards  wide  at  the  mouth,  and  found  a slug- 
gish inky  stream,  growing  wider  till  in  a few 
miles  it  expanded  into  Lake  Mantumba.  This  lake  he 
circumnavigated.  The  deepest  water  is  thirty-two  feet. 
The  low  surrounding  hills  are  clothed  with  fine  forests 
of  redwood. 

On  the  29th  of  June  they  were  at  Lukolela  buying 
a fine  piece  of  land  for  a station.  Two  men  were  left  as 
a pledge  that  it  would  shortly  be  occupied.  A few  miles 
below  Lukolela  a native  canoe  with  forty-four  men  had 
been  capsized,  two  of  the  crew  drowned,  and  the  rest 
cast  upon  an  island.  The  chief,  Myango  of  Usindi,  was 
recognized  as  an  acquaintance  seen  before  at  Bolobo. 
His  people  were  by  Stanley  transported  to  the  main- 
land, armed  and  provisioned.  Myango  and  his  wife 
were  taken  to  Bolobo,  and  on  the  next  day  presented 
with  forty  days’  rations,  and  liberated.  Their  gratitude 
knew  no  bounds,  for  according  to  native  custom  they 
had  become  the  property  of  their  rescuers. 

Below  Mswata  a lion  was  seen  crouched  on  the 
right  bank.  A shot  was  sent  at  him,  but  failed.  Curi- 
osity caused  a landing  to  be  made,  and  fifty  paces  from 
the  water’s  edge  was  found  a dead  buffalo.  Good  beef 
was  scarce,  and  the  prize  was  tempting.  There  was  a 

(478) 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


479 


banquet  that  day  from  steaks  and  roasts  furnished  by 
the  forest  king. 

Lieutenant  Valcke  had  done  more  for  Leopoldville 
in  two  months  than  his  predecessor  had  done  in  a year. 
A house  with  nine  commodious  rooms  had  been  erected 
for  Europeans.  There  was  a garden  with  500  waving 
banana  plants.  Ngalyema  and  his  brother  chiefs  were 
lovely.  The  store-rooms  were  filled  with  delightful 
things,  and  there  were  nearly  four  tons  of  brass  rods — 
the  native  currency. 

Lieutenant  Janssen  and  Abbe  Guyot  had  gone  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Kwa,  the  former  to  found  a station, 
the  latter,  a Catholic  mission.  Returning,  they  were 
with  eleven  of  their  men  drowned  in  a gale  of  wind. 
Lieutenant  Pagels,  with  a small  garrison,  succeeded  them. 

On  the  21st  of  August  a courier  came  announcing 
that  Bolobo,  with  the  goods  belonging  to  it,  and  150 
loads  destined  for  Stanley  Falls,  had  been  consumed  by 
fire. 

The  flotilla,  in  fine  condition,  with  ten  tons  of  goods 
and  fifty  men,  departed  the  next  morning. 

The  En  Avant  had  drawn  up  at  the  site  of  the  burnt 
station  and  was  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Royal  and 
A.  I.  A.,  when  a messenger  came  from  Ibaka,  the  senior 
chief,  to  say  that  the  villages  of  Itimba  and  Biangala 
were  firing  on  the  two  steamers.  . There  had  not  been 
a whisper  of  ill-feeling,  and  the  news  seemed  incredible. 
The  En  Avant  dropped  down  stream  500  yards,  and  was 
greeted  with  the  fire  of  a long  line  of  sharpshooters 
concealed  in  the  bushes  along  the  bank.  The  fire 
was  briskly  returned.  The  other  steamers  came  up,  and 
all  proceeded  together  to  the  landing  place. 

The  Royal  was  sent  back  to  Leopoldville  to  bring 
up  an  artillery  man  with  a Krupp  cannon. 


480 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


Four  days  later  the  En  Avant  and  whale-boat 
dropped  down  the  river  to  reconnoiter,  and  to  secure  a 
parley.  Manga’s  and  Yambula’s  villages  again  poured 
in  a murderous  fusillade. 

On  the  3rd  of  September  some  of  Stanley’s  men 
occupied  an  island  running  parallel  with  the  hostile 
villages,  and  answered  briskly  the  fire  delivered  on  them 
from  the  bush. 

The  next  day  a deputation  came  from  Itimba  with 
a few  brass  rods,  a goat,  and  some  fowls,  to  sue  for 
peace.  It  was  accepted,  and  Upiti  and  his  brother 
ambassadors  promised  to  be  good. 

The  war  against  Manga’s  village  went  on,  and 
some  were  wounded.  They  brought  the  same  price  of 
peace  that  Itimba  had  brought,  and  were  scornfully  re- 
jected. As  they  liked  war,  they  should  have  enough  of 
it.  When  the  big  gun  arrived  Stanley  would  blow  them 
up  to  the  sky.  This  awful  threat  made  them  engage 
Ibaka  to  plead  for  them.  But  it  took  nine  days  to  per- 
suade them  to  pay  a fine  of  fifteen  pounds. 

The  big  gun  got  there  the  next  day  after  peace  had 
been  made.  The  natives  hardly  thought  it  was  a gun, 
for  where  was  the  trigger,  the  stock,  the  ramrod  ? One 
said,  “It  looks  like  a fine  piece  of  wood  with  a deep 
hole  in  its  belly.” 

“It  was  therefore  decided  necessary  to  fire  the 
Krupp.  They  were  turbulent  through  their  unsophisti- 
cated wildness.  They  knew  no  better.  A brass  rod 
causes  war.  If  they  have  a bad  dream,  some  unfortu- 
nate is  accused,  and  burnt  for  witchcraft,  or  hung  for 
being  an  accessory  to  it.  A chief  dies  from  illness,  and  from 
two  to  fifty  people  are  butchered  over  his  grave.  When 
the  chief  of  Moye — the  next  village  above  our  station — 
died,  forty-five  people  were  slaughtered ; and  only  a short 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


481 


time  before,  Ibaka  strangled  a lovely  young  girl  because 
her  lover  had  sickened  and  died.  Two  slaves  of  Ibaka’s 
quarreled  over  their  beer,  and  one  shot  the  other;  the 
brother  of  the  murdered  man  demanded  twelve  slaves, 
two  bales  of  cloth,  and  1,500  brass  rods ; one  of  the  male 
slaves  was  beheaded,  and  a female  slave  was  strangled, 
that  their  spirits  might  accompany  the  spirit  of  the  dead 
slave  on  its  dreary  journey  to  the  unknown  universe.” 
At  Ibaka’s  solicitation,  Stanley  had  settled  at  Bo- 
lobo.  He  showed  them  what  the  Krupp  could  do,  ex- 
horted them  to  be  good,  and  offered  to  pay  for  the  beer 
in  celebration  of  a long  peace.  Accordingly  he  delivered 
to  each  of  the  fifteen  chiefs  and  elders  one  piece  of  cloth 
and  ten  brass  rods — worth  more  than  the  fine  just  ex- 
acted from  Lower  Bolobo. 

The  chiefs  went  aside  to  consult,  and  returned  to 
say  that  they  ought  to  have  two  pieces  of  cloth  and 
twenty  rods  each.  Stanley,  disgusted  and  indignant, 
was  about  to  quit  them  and  their  land  forever,  and  Du- 
alla  was  in  the  act  of  taking  the  presents  back,  when 
Ibaka  sprang  up  and  said : 

“No,  no,  Bula  Matari ! Dualla,  stay!  Nay,  be 
not  angry  with  us ; this  is  but  a custom  of  the  Wy-yanzi. 
If  you  had  given  us  4,000  brass  rods,  we  should  have 
asked  for  10,000 ; if  you  had  given  us  50,000,  we  should 
have  asked  for  ten  times  that  amount.  What ! Bula 
Matari  leave  us  ? No,  never ! Give  us  the  moneys  and 
we  will  goto  celebrate  the  peace.  Does  not  Bula  Matari 
know  the  Wy-yanzi  yet  ? Why,  the  greed  of  the  Wy- 
yanzi  is  as  insatiable  as  the  appetite  of  the  hippopota- 
mus. The  trouble  is  ended,  Bula  Matari.  Wy-yanzi 
love  money  too  well  to  risk  fighting  any  more.  Two 
troubles  have  cost  them  money;  they  will  not  care  to 
provoke  a third.  So  live  in  peace,  and  let  your  heart  rest.” 


482 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


Stanley,  good  man,  gave  his  hand,  and  they  went  to 
drink  their  beer. 

On  the  22d  of  September,  the  flotilla  arrived  at  Lu- 
kolela,  and  Mr.  Glane,  a young  Englishman,  was  in- 
stalled as  chief  of  a new  station,  and  was  given  twenty- 
five  men.  The  ground  was  thickly  covered  with  trees, 
straight,  clean,  sixty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high — 
plane  trees,  teak,  red-wood,  guaiacum  and  mahogany. 
This  forest,  it  was  estimated,  might  furnish  18,000,000 
of  cubic  feet  of  timber.  Many  of  the  trees  were  of  enor- 
mous size. 

It  threatened  rain  as  they  were  leaving  Lukolela. 
Myongo’s  medicine-man  exercised  his  powerful  charms 
to  compel  the  clouds  to  disperse.  Myongo  remarked 
that  white  men  seem  to  possess  everything  but  one — a 
rain  charm  to  keep  the  rain  from  wetting  travelers. 

The  next  day  Myongo  and  his  family  were  landed  at 
Usindi. 

On  the  29th  of  September  they  reached  Equator 
Station.  Lieutenants  Yangele  and  Coquilhat  had  done 
wonders.  They  had  cleared  a good  space,  built  a com- 
modious house  and  decorated  it  with  the  taste  of  a lady, 
and  from  the  ground  they  had  achieved  a magnificent 
growth  of  Indian  corn,  sweet  potatoes,  pumpkins,  cu- 
cumbers, onions,  radishes,  carrots,  beans,  peas,  parsley, 
lettuce,  cress,  beets  and  cabbages.  They  had  a large 
kitchen,  a servant’s  hall,  a goat  park,  fowl  houses,  and 
plenty  of  milk  and  eggs.  A sample  this,  of  what  ener- 
getic men  may  do  in  Equatorial  Africa  in  100  days. 
Stanley  was  delighted,  and  saw  at  last  his  ideal  station. 

Equator  Station  is  757  miles  from  the  ocean;  the 
Association  had  sent  orders  to  advance  600  miles  farther 
and  establish  a station  at  Stanley  Falls. 

On  the  16th  of  October  the  flotilla  moved  up  the 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


483 


river,  and  on  the  21st  reached  the  settlements  of  the 
Bangala,  whose  numbers  and  ferocity  had  tried  Stanley 
in  1877.  Their  villages  line  the  shore  continuously  for 
many  miles.  The  expedition  camped  on  an  island,  but 
notwithstanding  this  precaution,  and  a careful  watch, 
thieves  were  busy  through  the  night  and  their  depreda- 
tions were  considerable. 

Mata  Bwyki,  the  senior  chief  of  the  Bangala,  was  a 
grey-haired  man  of  herculean  stature,  six  feet  two 
inches,  broad  shoulders,  large,  square  face,  massive 
head  and  a voice  like  the  sound  of  many  waters.  Only 
the  incurably  deaf  could  fail  to  hear.  He  was.seventy- 
five  or  eighty  years  old,  his  skin  hung  about  his  bones 
in  wrinkles,  his  staff  was  “like  a weaver’s  beam,”  and 
nine  feet  long.  He  was  the  finest  proportioned  man 
in  Africa.  By  his  side  were  seven  stalwart  sons  from 
different  mothers.  He  had  but  one  eye,' but  out  of  this 
he  could  look  a great  deal. 

Stanley  entered  this  august  presence,  while  2,000 
people  of  doubtful  temper  surged  around. 

Yumbila,  the  guide,  recited  to  the  aged  chief  the 
wonderful  exploits  of  Bula  Matari — the  towns  he  had 
built,  the  blood-brotherhoods  made,  the  benefits  that 
would  accrue  to  Mata  Bwyki  and  his  people  if  he  should 
become  Stanley’s  brother. 

When  Mata  Bwyki  heard  that  this  was  “Tandelay,” 
matters  for  awhile  looked  dubious  enough,  but  Yumbila 
was  triumphant  in  the  end.  He  told  them  how  Bula 
Matari  had  saved  Irebu  from  mutual  destruction;  how 
he  had  saved  Myongo  from  the  island,  liberated  him,  en- 
riched him,  restored  him  to  his  home ; how  he  had  made 
war  and  peace  at  Bolobo,  and  fired  the  big  gun,  sending 
its  big  ball  across  the  wide  river.  He  spoke  of  the 
wealth  of  goods  on  the  big  steamer,  and  of  the  dreadful 


484 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


guns  that  fired  so  rapidly,  dealing  death  to  man  or  beast. 
Such  were  the  deeds  and  the  might  of  the  genial,  world- 
loving,  peace-making  Bula  Matari ! 

Mata  Bwyki  was  won,  and  brotherhood  was  made. 
Then  spake  the  aged  chief  in  a mighty  voice : 

“ Bula  Matari  and  Mata  Bwyki  are  one  to-day. 
We  have  joined  hands.  Hurt  not  Bula  Matari’s  people ; 
steal  not  from  them;  offend  them  not.  Bring  your 
produce  and  barter  with  him;  bring  food  and  sell  to 
him  at  a fair  price,  gently,  kindly,  and  in  peace,  for 
he  is  my  brother.  Hear  you,  0 ye  people  of  Iboko  ! — 
you  by  the  river  side,  and  you,  of  the  interior.” 

Onward  for  days  the  flotilla  pursued  its  way  amid  is- 
lands clothed  with  tropical  splendor  of  shadowing  palm, 
and  crimson,  white,  and  gold,  and  purple  bloom  of  lux- 
uriant plants  and  trees,  while  stretching  away  from  the 
bank  and  over  the  plain  or  gently  undulating  hills  was 
a magnificent  forest  of  gum  copal  trees,  clothed  with  the 
valuable  orchilla  weed,  and  mingled  with  the  rubber  tree. 

By  November  1st  they  were  in  the  country  of  the 
Langa-Langa.  The  female  dress  here  was  that  of  Eden 
before  Eve  made  aprons.  The  faces  and  bodies  of  men 
and  woman  were  systematically  scarred  for  the  sake  of 
beauty.  Maka-Kuru,  having  become  Stanley’s  brother, 
was  exceedingly  anxious  to  adorn  his  face  after  this 
interesting  and  impressive  manner. 

At  this  point  the  currency  changes.  From  the  sea 
to  Manyanga  it  was  a bale  of  cloth,  domestics  or  stripes, 
twenty-four  yards ; thence  to  Iyumbi  ridge,  blue  glass 
beads ; thence  to  Langa-Langa,  the  matako,  or  brass  rod ; 
then  the  masaro  or  soft  of  Ujiji,  called  by  the  Italians 
Conwetone  beads,  black  and  white,  and  half  an  inch 
long.  Cloth,  however,  is  in  great  demand,  and  will  yet 
win  the  day. 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


485 


On  the  7th  of  November  they  were  at  Bumba,  a 
considerable  town.  While  a thousand  people  looked  on, 
Bula  Matari’s  arm  was  scarified  for  the  fiftieth  time, 
and  Myombi,  the  chief,  became  a blood-brother.  On  the 
8th  the  people  brought  bananas,  goats,  chickens,  sugar- 
cane, tobacco,  pumpkins,  sweet  potatoes  and  yams  for 
barter ; yet  they  were  fearful,  and  if  a man  lifted  his 
hand  to  scratch  his  head,  they  ran  like  frightened  deer. 
Myombo  and  Sungo  Maji,  to  quiet  their  fears,  kept  run- 
ning about  and  crying,  “ Peace,  0 people ! Sell  your 
produce  in  security ; these  whites  are  our  brothers  by 
every  band  that  can  bind  us.”  There  was  ringing  of 
bells,  and  sprinkling  of  holy  water,  and  muttered  in- 
cantations to  exorcise  the  evil  spirit,  the  dreaded  Ihanza, 
which  might  live  in  the  boiler  of  the  boat,  and  feed  on 
wood ; and  yet  the  rolling  eyes  of  the  men,  and  the  sup- 
pressed shrieks  of  the  women  proclaimed  their  fear. 
One  of  the  cabin  boys,  minded  to  have  a little  fun,  vio- 
lently burst  open  the  door  of  the  boat’s  cabin  and 
crawled  out  in  a Bengal  tiger  skin.  At  this  sight,  the 
hundreds  who  stood  on  the  bank  fled  as  by  one  impulse. 
When  they  discovered  the  trick  there  was  slapping  of 
thighs,  and  roars  and  spasms  of  laughter,  and  after- 
wards" more  confidence  than  was  gendered  by  all  their 
bell-ringing  and  holy  water. 

Farther  up,  the  expedition  passed  Mutembo,  consist- 
ing of  three  palisaded  villages.  The  inhabitants  rushed 
out  into  the  open,  and  to  express  their  contempt,  patted 
their  rearward  parts,  with  more  expression  than  grace. 

On  the  12th  they  found  the  people  of  Yambungu 
friendly.  They  brought  enormous  yams,  fat-tailed 
sheep,  and  other  provisions. 

On  the  15th  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Aru- 
wimi,  or  Byerre,  where  Stanley  had  been  fiercely  op- 


FREEING  SLAVES. 


DISASTER  and  enterprise. 


487 


posed  in  1877.  They  drew  np  before  the  town  of  Mo- 
kulu.  All  the  males  lined  the  bank,  in  battle  array, 
while  war  drums  thundered.  Startling  blasts  were 
blown  from . long,  mellow  ivory  horns,  and  immense  ca- 
noes filled  with  warriors  hovered  near.  Yumbila,  the 
guide,  was  promised  a rich  reward  if  he  should  succeed 
in  turning  these  foes  into  friends.  His  eloquence  and 
persistence  prevailed.  A camp  was  made  near  the 
town.  The  shyness,  which  lasted  an  hour  or  two,  ended 
in  a brisk  traffic.  Blood-brotherhood  was  made,  and 
Stanley  had  some  more  dear  kin-folks  in  the  heart  of 
Africa. 

One  object  which  the  Association  of  the  Congo  will 
keep  ever  in  view  is  the  extinction  of  the  horrible  slave- 
trade  which  for  ages  has  desolated  Africa.  Stanley  did 
not  expect  to  find  the  slave-hunter  in  this  interior  and 
secluded  region,  yet  from  the  Aruwimi  to  Stanley 
Falls  the  banks  of  the  Congo  were  to  furnish  hourly 
illustrations  of  his  horrible  work.  The  Basoko,  or  Ba- 
songo,  of  Mokulu  were  recent  sufferers.  They  had 
fought  Stanley  in  1877  because  they  had  never  heard  of 
a people  coming  with  many  canoes  who  did  not  come 
for  war;  but  this  strange  man,  with  a face  as  pale  as 
the  moon,  had  dropped  their  people  with  fire  and  soft 
iron,  pursued  them  and  fought  them  in  their  town ; had 
then  gone  down  the  river  and  they  had  not  heard  of  him 
since.  “ ‘But  the  other  morning,”’  said  they,  “ ‘while 
it  was  quite  dark  we  heard  the  dread  sound  of  boom ! 
boom ! boom !’  which  is  like  the  thunder  of  the  sky  in 
our  ears,  and  we  felt  the  flash  of  the  flame  in  our  faces. 
Waking  from  our  sleep,  we  rushed  out  from  our  houses, 
and  the  darkness  was  lit  up  by  a thousand  jets  of  fire; 
and  a crackling  noise  was  heard,  louder  than  a burning 
plain  makes,  and  more  terrible  than  the  most  prolonged 


488 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


thunder.  There  was  whizzing  and  buzzing,  as  of  flying 
stones,  in  our  ears,  and  many  of  our  people,  on  coming 
out  into  the  light  of  the  burning  houses,  were  struck 
dead  by  these  things.  The  same  fear  came  upon  us  as 
when  we  first  heard  the  loud  thunder  shot  at  us  from 
the  strange  tribe,  years  ago  on  the  river,  and  we  ran 
for  our  very  lives  into  the  depths  of  the  woods,  where,  in 
the  thickest  parts,  we  lay  with  our  faces  in  the  ground, 
afraid  to  lift  our  heads  up,  lest  we  might  be  hit  with 
those  iron  balls  that  sang  over  us  and  crashed  into  the 
trees  from  our  village.  When  we  heard  our  women  and 
children  cry  out,  we  thought  we  would  do  something. 
From  our  coverts  we  looked  out.  We  saw  that  some  of 
our  houses  were  still  on  fire,  and  we  heard  the  long 
shrieks  of  our  women  and  cries  of  our  children,  and 
again  we  heard  the  shrill  boom  of  those  long  hollow 
tubes,  such  as  your  people  make,  and  again  we  were 
frightened  and  threw  ourselves  down  into  the  thick 
brush.  By  and  by  there  was  a deathly  stillness;  we 
got  a little  bolder  and  crept  out  to  see  for  ourselves 
what  had  happened,  and  when  we  cametoMokulu,  more 
than  half  of  it  was  burnt  to  the  ground,  as  you  can  see 
to-morrow ; and  as  for  our  women  and  children,  we  lost 
hundreds  of  them.’  ” 

When  asked,  “ ‘Who  were  these  people?  Where 
did  they  come  from  ? Where  are  they  now  ? By  what 
river  did  they  come  to  you  ? ’ ” they  could  only  reply  : 

“ ‘ Ah,  we  know  not.  We  were  all  asleep  when  they 
came,  and  they  departed,  no  one  knows  where,  in 
canoes.  We  thinkihey  must  be  the  Bahunga,  or  some 
people  from  the  far  east,  or  perhaps  they  came  from  the 
north.  Some  of  our  people  managed  to  get  a si^ht  of 
them,  and  say  they  were  dressed  like  your  people.  But 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


489 


you  came  with  Yumbila  from  below,  and  Yumbila  says 
he  never  heard  of  such  people.’  ” 

The  flotilla,  after  spending  six  days  exploring  Aru- 
wimi  left  Mokulu  on  the  23d  of  November  and  continued  up 
the  Congo.  On  the  next  day  they  descried  in  the  distance 
a vast  number  of  canoes  creeping  along  the  verge  of  an 
island  under  the  shadow  of  overhanging  woods.  The 
number  of  these  canoes  was  estimated  at  one  thousand, 
and  they  might  carry,  at  the  least,  five  thousand  men. 
Were  not  these  the  dreadful  Bahunga  whose  ravages  had 
been  seen  below  ? A rain  storm  came  on  and  the  expe- 
dition camped  upon  an  island.  It  will  be  best  to  con- 
tinue the  narrative  in  Stanley’s  own  words  : 

“ The  next  morning  (the  25th)  we  continued  our 
journey.  Two  hours  later  we  saw  a break  in  the  solid 
wall  of  forest  trees  along  which  we  had  traveled,  and  I 
remembered  its  position  very  clearly.  On  my  old  map  it 
is  marked  ‘ Mawembe,’  and  was  strongly  palisaded ; but 
now,  though  I looked  closely  through  my  glass,  I could 
detect  no  sign  of  palisade  or  hut.  The  clearing  was 
there,  it  was  true ; the  site  of  the  palisaded  village  was 
also  there,  and  notwithstanding  its  emptiness  it  was 
recognized.  As  we  advanced  we  could  see  poor  rem* 
nants  of  banana  groves ; we  could  also  trace  the 
whitened  paths  from  the  river’s  edge  leading  up  the 
steep  bank,  but  not  a house  nor  a living  thing  could  be 
seen  anywhere.  The  exact  extent,  position  and  nature 
of  the  village  site  was  unchanged,  but  the  close,  brist- 
ling palisade,  and  the  cones  of  fowl-huts,  and  the  low 
ridge-roofed  huts  just  visible  above  it — all  had  vanished. 

“ When  we  came  abreast  of  the  locality,  we  per- 
ceived that  there  had  been  a late  fire.  The  heat  had 
scorched  the  foliage  of  the  tallest  trees,  and  their  silver 
sterns  had  been  browned  by  it.  The  banana  plants 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


491 


looked  meager ; their  ragged  fronds  waved  mournfully 
their  tatters,  as  if  imploring  pity.  We  slackened  speed 
of  the  engines,  to  contemplate  the  scene,  and  reflect  up- 
on its  meaning. 

“ Six  years  before  we  had  rushed  by  this  very 
place  without  stopping,  endeavoring  by  our  haste  to 
thwart  the  intentions  of  our  foes — if  foes  they  meant  to 
be — since  which  time  the  history  of  this  land  had  been 
a blank  to  us.  Surely,  there  had  been  a great  change  ! 
As  we  moved  up  the  stream  slowly,  another  singular 
sight  attracted  our  gaze.  This  was  two  or  three  long 
canoes  standing  on  their  ends,  like  split,  hollow  columns, 
upright  on  the  verge  of  the  bank.  What  freak  was  this, 
and  what  did  the  sight  signify?  Had  one  of  these 
canoes  been  weighed,  it  is  certain  it  could  not  have  been 
less  than  a ton.  To  have  tilted  and  raised  such  a weight 
argued  numbers  and  union.  It  could  never  have  been  the 
work  of  chattering  savages.  They  are  Arabs  who  have 
performed  this  feat  of  strength,  and  these  upright  col- 
umnar canoes  betray  the  advent  of  the  slave-traders  in 
the  region  below  the  Falls  ! We  learned  later  that  on 
this  now  desolate  spot  once  stood  the  town  of  Yomburri. 

“A  few  miles  higher  up,  on  the  same  bank,  we  came 
abreast  of  another  scene  of  desolation,  where  a whole 
town  had  been  burnt,  the  palms  cut  down,  bananas 
scorched,  many  acres  laid  level  with  the  ground,  and 
the  freak  of  standing  canoes  on  end  repeated.  In  front 
of  the  black  ruin  there  were  a couple  of  hundred  people 
crouched  down  on  the  verge  of  the  bank,  looking  woefully 
forlorn  and  cheerless,  some  with  their  hands  supporting 
their  chins,  regarding  us  with  a stupid  indifference,  as 
though  they  were  beyond  further  harm,  while  all  seemed 
to  say  by  their  attitude,  ‘ Cruel  man  has  done  his  worst. 
Having  lost  all,  we  are  beyond  your  spite,  and  greater 


492  DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 

wretchedness  than  that  which  we  are  now  in  is  impos- 
sible.’ 

“ Our  guide  Yumbila  was  told  to  question  them  as 
to  what  was  the  cause  of  this  dismal  scene,  and  one  old 
man  stood  forth  and  poured  forth  his  tale  of  grief  and 
woe  with  exceeding  volubility.  He  told  of  a sudden  and 
unexpected  invasion  of  their  village  by  a host  of  leap- 
ing, yelling  men,  in  the  darkness,  who  dinned  their  ears 
with  murderous  fusillades,  slaughtering  their  people  as 
they  sprang  out  of  their  huts  into  the  light  of  the  flames. 
Not  a third  of  the  men  had  escaped ; the  larger  number 
of  the  women  and  children  had  been  taken  away,  they 
knew  not  whither. 

44  4 And  where  are  these  people?’  we  asked. 

£ They  are  gone  up  the  river  about  eight  days  ago.’ 
44  4 And  have  these  people  burnt  up  all  the  villages  ?’ 
“ 4 All,  everywhere,  on  both  sides  of  the  river.’ 

44  4 What  are  they  like,  these  strange  people?’ 

4 4 4 They  are  like  your  people  in  your  boats,  and 
wear  white  clothes.’ 

4 4 4 Ah,  and  who  are  all  these  people  we  saw  yesterday 
in  hundreds  of  canoes  near  the  islands?’ 

44  4 They  are  our  people,  from  one  side  and  the 
other,  who  have  gathered  together  for  protection.  At 
night  they  go  to  their  fields  to  get  food,  but  in  the  day- 
time they  live  on  the  islands,  with  their  canoes  ready, 
lest  the  wicked  and  fierce  people  come  back.  But  go 
away,  go  away ! strangers  are  all  bad.  Go  to  them,  if 
you  want  ivory ; go  and  fight  them.  We  have  nothing 
— nothing.’  And  the  old  man’s  gesture  with  open 

palms  was  painfully  expressive. 

44  We  continued  our  journey,  advancing  as  rapidly 
as  our  steamers  could  breast  the  stream.  Every  three 
or  four  miles  we  came  in  sight  of  the  black  traces  of  the 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


493 


destroyers.  The  charred  stakes,  upright  canoes,  poles  of 
once  populous  settlements,  scorched  banana  groves,  and 
prostrate  palms,  all  betokened  ruthless  ruin. 

“ At  four  p.  m.  we  halted  at  a camp  in  a plain 
just  above  the  devastated  site  of  Yavunga.  We  had 
passed,  since  leaving  the  Byerre,  twelve  villages  utterly 
consumed  by  fire.  In  these,  eight  separate  communities 
had  existed. 

“ Opposite  Yavunga,  on  the  left  bank,  is  the  district 
of  Yaporo.  Surveying  the  scene  through  the  binocular 
glass,  we  could  assure  ourselves  that  the  tale  of  the  old 
man  was  not  exaggerated.  Not  one  house  was  visible, 
although  the  extensiye  clearing  indicated  that  Yaporo  had 
been  populous.  This  would  have  been  evident,  even  had 
I not  remembered  by  the  peculiar  red  clay  banks,  which 
are  such  a feature  of  it,  that  I had  seen  a large  and  long- 
extended  town  here.  Just  above,  I also  remembered, 
we  had  had  a tough  fight  with  the  people,  who  had 
cried,  ‘YaMariwa!’  as  they  charged  onus,  and  there 
was  Tugarambusa  ridge,  its  outlines  not  to  be  mistaken. 

“On  the  morning  of  the  27th  of  November  we  were 
delayed  by  a scantiness  of  fuel,  due  to  the  extent  of  the 
clearing,  so  that  departure  was  not  possible  till  after  7 
o’clock.  A mile  above  our  camp  we  detected  some  ob- 
ject of  a slaty  color  floating  down  stream.  The  En 
Avant  steamed  toward  it,  and  the  man  with  sounding- 
pole  at  the  bow,  on  arriving  near  it,  turned  it  over  with 
' a boat-hook.  We  were  shocked  to  discover  the  bodies  of 
two  women,  bound  together  with  a cord  ! This  tragedy, 
by  the  appearance  of  the  bodies,  must  have  occurred 
about  twelve  hours  previously. 

“Wondering  what  could  have  caused  the  committal 
of  such  a crime,  we  continued  to  follow  the  shore  where 
the  current  was  slack,  uatil  we  came  to  the  upper  end 


- f 

494  DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 

of  the  crescent  land  which  is  above  Yavnnga.  At  the 
close  of  an  hour  we  were  rounding^he  point,  when,  look- 
ing up  river  hastily,  we  saw  a white  mass  fronting  the 
landing-place  of  a village.  I caught  up  my  glass,  and 
examined  it.  Others  appeared  in  a group,  as  we  edged 
toward  the  center  of  the  stream.  They  were  tents ; the 
Arabs  of  Nyangwe  had  been  overtaken ! 

“They  were  evidently  in  force,  for  their  camp,  or 
village,  was  evidently  large  enough  for  a great  number, 
and  a rough  palisade  seemed  to  surround  it.  We  formed 
ourselves  in  line,  and  advanced  up  river.  As  we  drew 
near,  I observed  through  the  telescope  that  our  presence 
excited  a commotion  on  the  bank,  which  became  lined 
with  a multitude  of  men  in  white  dress,  who  acted  as 
if  flurried.  I also  saw  a large  number  of  canoes  fas- 
tened to  the  landing-place,  which  revealed  at  once  the 
secret  of  these  midnight  surprisals.  These  people  had, 
in  some  manner,  descended  the  river  from  Nyangwe  past 
the  Falls.” 

Stanley  was  strongly  moved  to  execute  vengeance 
on  the  scoundrels,  but  he  reflected  that  he  had  no  author- 
ity, and  it  seemed  the  part  of  wisdom,  in  his  present 
mission,  to  show  himself  the  friend  of  all,  the  enemy  of 
none.  He  continues  : — 

“ We  formed  a camp  below  them,  and  almost  im- 
mediately after  we  had  secured  our  boats,  our  Zanzibaris 
were  shaking  hands  with  the  Manyema  slaves  of  Abed 
bin  Salim,  who  had  invaded  and  ravaged  the  country  to 
obtain  slaves  and  ivory  for  their  masters. 

“We  discovered  that  this  horde  of  banditti — for  in 
reality  they  were  nothing  else — was  under  the  leader- 
ship of  several  chiefs,  but  principally  under  Karema 
and  Kiberuga.  They  had  started  sixteen  months  pre- 
viously from  Wane-Kirundu,  about  30  miles  below 


496 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


Vinya-Njara.  For  eleven  months  the  band  had  been 
raiding  successfully  between  the  Congo  and  the  Lubri- 
anza,  on  the  left  bank  They  had  then  undertaken  to 
perform  the  same  cruel  work  between  the  Byerre  and 
Wane-Kirundu.  On  looking  at  my  map  I find  that  such 
a territory  within  the  area  described  would  cover  super- 
ficially 16,200  square  geographical  miles  on  the  left 
hank,  and  10,500  miles  on  the  right  bank,  all  of  which 
in  statute  mileage  would  be  equal  to  34,570  square 
miles, — just  2,000  square  miles  greater  than  the  island 
of  Ireland — inhabited  by  about  1,000,000  of  people. 

“The  band,  when  it  set  out  from  Kirundu,  num- 
bered three  hundred  fighting  men,  armed  with  flint-locks, 
double-barreled  precussion  guns,  and  a few  breech-load- 
ers; their  followers,  or  domestic  slaves  and  women, 
doubled  this  force. 

“After  spending  the  morning  listening  to  such  ad- 
ventures as  they  chose  to  relate,  I was  permitted  in  the 
afternoon  to  see  the  human  harvest  they  had  gathered, 
as  many  of  my  people  had  exaggerated  the  numbers  of 
the  captives  they  had  seen  in  the  camp. 

“Their  quarters  were  about  150  yards  above  the 
place  we  had  selected.  It  was  surrounded  with  a fence 
made  of  the  hut-walls  of  the  native  town  of  Yangambi, 
which  lay  without  in  ruins ; the  square  plats  of  raised 
and  tramped  earth,  with  a few  uprights,  alone  indicated 
where  it  stood.  The  banana  groves  had  been  leveled,  and 
their  stalks  employed  to  form  the  fence  about  the  camp. 

“Within  the  enclosure  was  a series  of  low  sheds,  ex- 
tending many  lines  deep  from  the  immediate  edge  of 
the  clay  bank  inland  100  yards ; in  length  the  camp 
was  about  300  yards.  At  the  landing-place  below  were 
fifty-four  large  canoes,  varying  in  carrying  capacity. 
Each  might  convey  ten  to  one  hundred  people* 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


497 


“The  first  general  impressions  are  that  the  camp 
is  much  too  densely  peopled  for  comfort.  There  are  rows 
upon  rows  of  dark  nakedness,  relieved  here  and  there 
by  the  white  dresses  of  the  captors.  There  are  lines  or 
groups  of  naked  forms,  upright,  standing  or  moving 
about  listlessly ; naked  bodies  are  stretched  under  the 
sheds  in  all  positions ; naked  legs  innumerable  are  seen 
in  the  perspective  of  prostrate  sleepers ; there  are  count- 
less naked  children — many  mere  infants,  forms  of  boy- 
hood and  girlhood — and  occasionally  a drove  of  abso- 
lutely naked  old  women  bending  under  a basket  of  fuel 
or  cassava  tubers,  or  bananas,  who  are  driven  through 
the  moving  groups  by  two  or  three  musketeers.  On 
paying  more  attention  to  details,  I observe  that  mostly 
all  are  fettered;  youths  with  iron  rings  around  their 
necks,  /through  whicn  a chain,  like  one  of  our  boat- 
anchor  chains,  is  rove,  securing  the  captives  by  twenties: 
The  children  over  ten  are  secured  by  three  copper  rings, 
each  ringed  leg  brought  together  by  the  central  ring, 
which  accounts  for  the  apparent  listlessness  of  move- 
ment I observed  on  coming  in  presence  of  the  curious 
scene.  The  mothers  are  secured  by  shorter  chains, 
around  whom  their  respective  progeny  of  infants  are 
grouped,  hiding  the  cruel  iron  links  that  fall  in  loops  or 
festoons  over  their  mamma’s  breasts.  There  is  not  one 
adult  man  captive  among  them. 

“The  slave  traders  admit  that  they  have  only  2,300 
captives  in  this  fold,  yet  they  have  raided  through  the 
length  and  breadth  of  a country  larger  than  Ireland, 
bearing  fire,  and  spreading  carnage  with  lead  and  iron. 
Both  banks  of  the  river  show  that  118  villages  and  forty- 
three  districts  have  been  devastated,  out  of  which  is 
only  educed  this  scant  profit  of  2,300  females  and  chil- 
dren, and  about  2,000  tusks  of  ivory.  The  spears, 


498 


DISASTER  AND  ENTERPRISE. 


Swords,  bows  and  the  quivers  of  arrows,  show  that  many 
adults  have  fallen.  Given  that  these  118  villages  were 
peopled  by  only  1,000  each,  we  have  a profit  of  only  two 
per  cent.,  and  by  the  time  all  these  captives  have  been 
subjected  to  the  accidents  of  the  river  voyage  to  Kirun- 
du  and  Nyangwe,  of  camp  life  and  its  harsh  miseries,  to 
the  havoc  of  small-pox,  and  the  pests  \ghich  miseries 
breed,  there  will  remain  a scant  per  cent,  on  the  bloody 
venture. 

“They  tell  me,  however,  that  the  convoys  already 
arrived  at  Nyangwe  with  slaves  captured  in  the  interior 
have  been  as  great  as  the  present  band.  Five  expedi- 
tions have  come  and  gone  with  their  booty  of  ivory  and 
slaves,  and  these  five  expeditions  have  now  completely 
weeded  the  large  territory  described  above.  If  each  ex- 
pedition has  been  as  successful  as  this,  the  slave  traders 
have  been  able  to  obtain  5,000  women  and  children  safe 
to  Nyangwe,  Kirundu  and  Yibando,  above  the  Stanley 
Falls.  Thus  5,000  out  of  an  assumed  1,000,000  will 
be  at  the  rate  of  one-half  per  cent,  or  five  slaves  out  of 
1,000  people. 

“This  is  poor  profit  out  of  such  a large  waste  of  life  ! 
To  have  obtained  the  2,300  slaves  out  of  118  villages 
they  must  have  shot  a round  number  of  2£,000  people, 
while  1,300  more  died  by  the  wayside  through  scant 
provisions,  and  the  intensity  of  their  hopeless  wretched- 
ness. 

“What  was  the  cause  of  all  this  vast  sacrifice  of  hu- 
man life,  of  all  this  unspeakable  misery?  Nothing  but 
the  indulgence  of  an  old  Arab’s  wolfish,  bloody,  starved 
and  ravenous  instincts.  If  we  calculate  three  quarts  of 
blood  to  each  person  who  fell  during  the  campaign  of 
murder,  we  find  that  this  one  Arab  caused  to  be  shed 
2,850  gallons  of  human  blood,  sufficient  to  fill  a tank 


DISASTER  ANI'  ENTERPRISE 


499 


measurement  of  460  cubic  feet — quite  large  enough  to 
have  drowned  him  and  all  h .s  kin.  ” 

Doubtless  the  reader  has  wondetred  at  the  title  of 


STARVED  BOY. 


this  chapter.  Let  him  observe  that  all  this  carnage  and 
desolation  masks  itself  under  the  naTne  of  business ; of 
mercantile  industry.  It  is  Arab  enterprise. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


days  from  tlie  Arab  camp  brought  the  flotilla 
C Stanley  Falls,  or  rather  to  the  lowest  fall, 

since  the  falls  are  seven  in  number  and  stretch 
through  a distance  of  fifty- six  miles.  From  the  seventh 
fall  to  the  sixth  is  twenty- six  miles ; from  the  sixth  to 
the  fifth  is  twenty-two  miles ; a journey  of  nine  miles  over- 
land will  pass  the  remaining  four. 

At  the  head  of  the  lower  fall  are  three  islands  in- 
habited by  the  Wenya.  This  tribe  may  number  four 
thousand.  They  subsist  wholly  by  fishing.  They  are 
ingenious,  industrious,  and  in  their  occupation  extremely 
daring.  Planting  poles  at  low  water  among  the  rocks, 
propping  and  binding  them  so  that  they  sustain  each 
other,  these  fishermen  have  almost  bridged  the  two  main 
channels  of  the  river  at  the  Falls.  With  cables  of  rat- 
tan baskets  are  lashed  to  this  framework  and  let  down 
into  the  water,  and  every  day  they  are  visited  by  the 
daring  fishermen.  The  little  island  in  the  center  is 
reached  in  large,  broad  canoes  cut  out  of  the  cotton- 
wood from  below.  It  is  an  exciting  sight  to  see  forty 
stout  fellows  paddle  one  of  these  through  the  waves, 
heedless  of  the  boiling,  dangerous  waters.  They  advance 
along  the  left  bank,  and  then  by  desperate  strokes  they 
edge  diagonally  across  the  stream ; the  water  above  the 

(500) 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


501 


fall  being  level  with  their  heads.  They  miss  the  island 
as  often  as  they  reach  it.  If  they  are  unsuccessful, 
they  are  swept  down  the  united  channel,  which  is  a 
stretch  of  roaring  water,  at  express  speed,  to  try  again 
the  dangerous  course.  If  the  nets  are  full,  the  fisher- 
men send  up  a wailing  shout,  which  is  gladly  echoed  by 
the  people  on  the  isles,  who  have  gathered  each  day  to 
watch  the  daring  venture.  Disasters  are  frequent,  the 
most  ^common  being  when  the  canoe  has  been  badly 
steered,  and  presenting  too  much  beam  to  the  current, 
it  is  soon  capsized  among  the  leaping  and  rolling  waves. 
The  people  for  whose  profit  they  labor,  their  relatives 
and  their  comrades  who  have  been  regarding  them  from 
the  rocks,  then  with  united  voices  warn  all  the  isles  with 
the  news  of  the  disaster,  and  dozens  of  canoes  shoot 
from  either  side  to  the  rescue. 

“They  think  nothing  of  crossing  the  raging  waters 
between  the  islands  of  Wane  Mikunga  and  Wane  Russari, 
The  feat  is  performed  every  few  minutes  by  men,  women 
and  children.  Such  a ferry  was  never  seen.  From  a 
little  distance  off  the  river,  so  rapid  is  the  movement,  so 
steep  the  slope,  that  one  might  say  that  the  voyagers 
were  skating  down  an  ice-covered  hill. 

“ The  islanders  have  not  yet  adopted  electric  sig- 
nals, but  possess,  however,  a system  of  communication 
quite  as  effective.  Their  huge  drums,  by  being  struck  in 
different  parts,  convey  language  as  clear  to  the  initiated 
as  vocal  speech ; and  all  the  isles  and  every  soul  on 
them  is  told  what  transpires  on  each  island  hourly.” 

The  Yakusu  inhabit  below  the  Falls,  the  Bakumu 
on  the  right  bank,  but  the  Wenya  on  their  islands,  de- 
fended by  the  rushing  waters,  fear  nobody. 

Their  catch  of  fish  may  amount  to  five  thousand 
daily,  weighing  from  five  to  fifty  pounds  each.  A por- 


502 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


tion  they  exchange  with  the  neighboring  tribes  for  prod- 
ucts of  the  land,  and  large  quantities  are  smoke-dried 
and  exchanged  with  more  distant  tribes  for  women, 
slaves,  and  canoes. 

“ They  are  an  industrious  and  inventive  people. 
In  the  streets  of  their  villages  the  fish-curers  attend 
their  lines  of  curing  platforms ; the  old  men  are  weav- 
ing purse  nets  and  sieves ; the  able-bodied  men  are  at 
their  basket-work;  while  others  weave  rattan  houses. 
The  women  are  preparing  bread,  grinding  camwood, 
sifting  meal,  pounding  corn,  or  making  crockery.  On 
the  waterside  are  the  canoe-wrights,  doing  odd  jobs — 
binding  a split  bow,  a split  stern,  or  a leaky  crack,  or 
perhaps  cutting  out  a decayed  part,  and  preparing  a 
piece  of  plank  to  replace  it.” 

From  this  interesting  people  was  secured  the  privi- 
lege of  establishing  a station ; not  however,  without  de- 
bate of  the  chiefs  and  delay  of  two  or  three  days.  Goods 
to  the  value  of  £160  were  distributed  to  the  chiefs.  A 
site  for  the  station  was  chosen  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
principal  island,  Wane  Russari.  The  party  who  was 
to  take  charge  of  this  station  quailed  at  the  last  moment, 
and  begged  to  return  to  the  coast.  Mr.  Binnie,  the 
engineer  of  the  Royal , volunteered  to  accept  the  place 
and  to  remain.  He  was  a Scotchman  of  diminutive 
stature,  but  his  soul  was  large  and  Stanley  thought  he 
might  be  trusted. 

All  hands  turned  out  and  cleared  about  four  acres 
of  ground  for  him,  and  built  him  a house.  He  was 
given  an  ample  supply  of  tools,  provisions,  and  ammuni- 
tion, and  thirty-one  men. 

Though  a satisfactory  arrangement  had  been 
effected  with  the  Wenya,  Stanley  desired  before  leaving 
to  reach  a good  understanding  with  the  Bakumu,  as  an 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


503 


important  source  of  provisions  to  the  garrison.  Accord- 
ingly a few  men  were  “sent  to  Siwa-Siwa,  chief  of  the 
Bakumu,  who,  hearing  how  happy  the  Wenya  had  been 
made  by  the  strangers,  advanced  from  the  interior  a dis- 
tance of  five  miles,  with  thirty  natives,  each  weighted 
with  cassava,  bananas,  yams,  sweet  potatoes,  and  pump- 
kins, besides  which  the  chiefs’  women,  at  the  suggestion 
of  the  guide,  had  not  neglected  to  provide  for  the  neces- 
sities of  the  whites,  and  had  brought  eggs  and  fowls, 
while  a small  flock  of  goats  was  transported  to  our 
island  home. 

“Between  Siwa-Siwa  and  myself  it  might  be  said 
to  be  love  at  first  sight.  Which  of  us  was  the  most 
effusive  it  would  be  difficult  to  say.  His  sunny  brown 
face  was  aglow  with  so  much  boyish  delight,  that  prob- 
ably this  caused  a warm  and  spontaneous  reciprocity 
on  my  part.  I admired  greatly  the  loving,  possessive 
manner  in  which  his  women  surrounded  me,  and  cooed 
their  sweetest  in  my  ears,  without  exciting  in  the  least 
Siwa-Siwa’s  jealousy,  or  alarming  his  susceptibilities. 
Agreements  with  Siwa-Siwa  required  no  casuistry  to 
urge  his  signature.  The  Wenya  had  told  him  every- 
thing, and  were  present  to  guide  his  judgment  if  he 
hesitated.  Siwa-Siwa  confided  solely  in  my  honor 
that  my  coming  among  them  boded  no  evil,  but  who 
knows  what  good?  ‘Your  people  shall  be  my  child- 
ren,’ said  he,  ‘in  your  absence.  Go  in  safety.  It  will 
be  my  task  to  feed  them,  and  until  your  return,  I shall 
dream  of  you  every  night.’  Good  fortune  certainly 
seemed  to  have  prepared  for  me  pleasant  places  in  the 
wilderness.” 

Thus  had  a line  of  stations  been  planted  along  the 
mighty  river  for  a distance  of  more  than  1300  miles. 
The  terra  incognita , the  unknown  region  above  the  Lower 


504 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


Livingstone  Falls,  had  been  penetrated,  and  a path  had 
been  opened  by  land  and  water  for  the  intercourse  of 
civilized  with  savage  men.  Foes  had  everywhere  been 
turned  into  friends,  and  the  African,  whatever  his  faults, 
had  been  found  to  possess  some  excellent  qualities.  All 
down  the  Congo  there  were  tribes  who  were  proclaiming 
to  other  more  interior  tribes  the  might,  the  wisdom, 
and  the  goodness  of  Bula  Matari — the  breaker  of  rocks, 
who,  with  his  wonderful  smoke-boats  had  gone  up  the 
river.  It  was  important  to  confirm  and  cement  the 
work  already  accomplished  before  advancing  farther. 
Treaties  must  now  be  made  with  other  tribes,  till  the 
Association  should  become  the  acknowledged  protector 
of  all  the  peoples  along  the  Congo.  These  would  pres- 
ently create  in  their  neighbors  a desire  for  the  same  ad- 
vantages, and  thus  the  domain  of  the  Association  would 
be  constantly  extending.  Accordingly,  on  the  10th  of 
December  the  flotilla  bade  adieu  to  their  friends  at 
Stanley  Falls  and  began  to  descend  the  river. 

By  noon  on  the  10th  of  December  the  expedition 
encountered  the  Arabs,  who  had  moved  and  were  now 
encamped  on  the  ruins  of  Yakande.  They  were  per- 
suaded to  send  ten  of  their  most  trusted  servants  with 
Stanley  to  the  coast,  to  purchase  necessary  articles. 
It  seemed  better  that  they  should,  with  their  own  eyes, 
regard  the  advances  that  civilization  was  making  up  the 
river,  and  so  be  cautioned  to  discontinue  their  depreda- 
tions before  meeting  some  gunboat  and  police  force  sent 
to  compel  them. 

Descending  the  river,  they  made  frequent  stop- 
pages to  conciliate  the  various  chiefs.  Treaties  and 
blood-brotherhoods  were  of  daily  enactment.  On  Christ- 
mas day  they  halted  at  Iboko.  The  people  were  glad  to 
see  their  dear  friends,  and  crowded  close  to  express 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


505 


their  delight — and,  it  should  be  added,  to  pick  up  what- 
ever they  could  lay  their  hands  on.  Old  Mata  Bwyki 
was  gone,  and  “when  the  cat’s  away  the  mice  will 
play.”  Theft  after  theft  was  reported,  till  Stanley  or- 
dered that  the  first  man  reporting  a thief  should  be  pun- 
ished, while  the  first  who  caught  a thief  should  be  re- 
warded. This  order  resulted  in  a speedy  arrest.  . The 
thief,  taken  in  the  act,  was  by  a dozen  men  dragged  on 
board,  despite  the  opposition  of  the  Bangala,  and  se- 
curely bound. 

Kokoro,  Mata  Bwyki’s  oldest  son,  was  in  authority 
in  his  father’s  absence.  He  came  in  a canoe  and  pad- 
died  up  and  down  the  riverside,  and  in  a hoarse  voice 
threatened  dire  vengeance  to  the  thieves.  They  paid 
no  attention  to  his  threats.  He  came  alongside  the 
steamer  to  see  the  prisoner.  The  sight  was  one  that 
froze  his  blood.  The  prisoner  was  his  oldest  son ! 

Stanley  saw  the  agony  of  the  father  whose 
thoughts  were  of  a son  and  heir  about  to  be  conveyed 
as  slave  to  an  unknown  land.  The  word  was  ready  to 
be  spoken  which  would  liberate  the  young  man,  but  pru- 
dence forbade  it. 

“Kokoro,”  he  said,  “if  this  is  your  son  I shall  obtain 
my  property  back,  and  your  boy  will  be  returned  safe 
into  your  hands.” 

The  flotilla  crossed  over  to  the  island  opposite. 

Njugu,  Kokoro’s  cousin,  came  to  offer  two  tusks  and 
two  slaves  for  the  boy’s  release,  “No,”  said  his  captor, 
“not  for  twenty  tusks  and  twenty  slaves.  Go  and  tell 
Kokoro  I am  going  down  the  river  to  the  Bakuti,  and  I 
shall  take  his  son  with  me.  On  the  tenth  day  I shall  re- 
turn, when  I shall  expect  my  property  back,  and  Kokoro 
will  get  his  boy  safe  again.” 

The  prisoner  was  taken  to  the  Equator  Station  and 


• : -*■  '■  ■■■• v!;v  V 

506  THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 

4 * 

shown  all  the  might,  and  glory,  and  wisdom  of  the 
white  man,  that  he  might  tell  it  to  the  thieves  he  had 
left  behind  him. 

On  the  5th  of  Janmw  Stanley  was  again  at  Iboko. 

Mata  Bwyki  was  there—  _ arrived,  in  fact,  half  an  hour 
after  Stanley  left.  He  was  furious  at  the  conduct 
of  his  people,  nor  had  hiS  fury  yet  subsided. 

“As  for  Kokoro’s  son,”  he  said,  “keep  him  safe  till 
your  goods  are  restored.  You  took  him  away ; that  made 
us  all  sorry  at  first ; but  now  that  you  have  brought  him 
back,  we  have  no  fear  of  you.  It  will  do  him  good,  and 
he  will  be  an  example  to  the  rest.” 

The  6th  passed,  and  on  the  7th  there  was  a grand 
council  of  the  chiefs.  Njugu  pointed  out  another  thief 
in  the  crowd,  and  said  to  Stanley,  “If  you  can  trust 
your  men,  seize  him  and  hold  him  fast.  Kokoro’s  son 
must  not  be  a prisoner  alone.” 

Twenty  of  the  boat’s  crew  came  ashore  with  cords 
under  their  clothes.  There  was  a struggle,  confusion, 
wild  talk,  furious  gestures,  almost  war,  but  the  thief  was 
carried  on  board  securely  bound. 

Mata  Bwyki  enjoyed  it  hugely;  Njugu  and  Npembe 
were  quiet ; the  other  chiefs,  astonished,  demanded  what 
it  all  meant. 

“Mata  Bwyki  rose  and  said : ‘It  only  means  that 
Bula  Matari  knows  the  customs  of  the  Bangala.  If  a 
thief  is  known,  he  may  be  held  in  bond  till  a restitution 
of  the  stolen  property  is  made.  Bula  Matari  has  now 
got  three  prisoners,  one  of  whom  is  my  own  grandson. 

He  shall  keep  them,  sell  them,  or  kill  them — just  as  he 
may — unless  his  property  be  returned  to  him.  Bula 
Matari  has  acted  like  a brother.  He  was  robbed.  He 
went  away  for  ten  days ; he  came  back  to  give  us  an- 
other opportunity.  Now  find  the  goods  you  have  stolen 


A PALISADED  VILLAGE. 


508 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


from  him,  or  else  he  shall  take  his  captives  away,  and 
cut  them  up  in  little  pieces  if  he  likes.  I have  spoken.’  ” 

Iboko  is  a large  settlement  and  it  took  two  days  to 
find  the  articles  and  bring  them  in,  hut  on  the  9th  they 
were  all  in  the  hands  of  Mata  Bwyki,  and  the  old  chief 
gave  them  to  Stanley.  The  prisoners  were  released, 
and  Mata  Bwyki  admonished  the  assembled  Bangala 
hereafter  to  let  Bula  Matari’s  property  severely  alone. 

Returning  to  Equator  Station,  Stanley  was  met  by 
Lieutenants  Vangele  and  Coquilhat,  who  had  an  inter- 
esting story  to  relate.  An  old  chief  had  died,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  the  By-yanzi  andBakuti,  slaves 
must  be  sacrificed,  to  accompany  him  in  the  unknown 
world.  “Accordingly  the  relatives  and  freemen  began 
to  collect  as  many  slaves  as  could  be  purchased.  Lieu- 
tenant Yangele  was  chief  of  about  fifty  men,  and  on  ac- 
count of  the  good  discipline  of  the  station,  and  the 
prompt  obedience  paid  to  his  commands  by  the  garrison, 
the  Bakuti  imagined  the  soldier  laborers  in  pay  of  the 
Association  to  be  slaves,  and  proposed  to  purchase  a 
few  of  them.  Yangele  was  curious  to  know  why  they 
wanted  the  men,  and  he  was  then  informed  of  the  prep- 
arations being  made  to  celebrate  the  burial  of  their  chief 
with  an  execution  of  slaves.  Of  course  the  proposal 
was  rejected  with  horror,  and  the  garrison  chased  the 
Bakuti  with  sticks  out  of  the  precincts  of  the  station. 

“The  mourning  relatives  finally  secured  fourteen 
men  from  the  interior,  and  being  notified  by  the  vil- 
lagers that  the  execution  was  about  to  begin,  Mr.  Yan- 
gele and  his  friend  proceeded  with  a few  of  their  men  to 
view  the  scene. 

“They  found  quite  a large  number  of  men  gathered 
around.  The  doomed  men  were  seen  kneeling,  with  their 
arms  pinioned  behind  them,  in  the  neighborhood  of  a 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


509 


tall  young  tree,  near  the  top  of  which  the  end  of  a rope 
had  been  lashed.  A number  of  men  laid  hold  of  the 
cord  and  hauled  upon  it  till  the  upper  part  of  the  tree 
was  bent  like  a bow.  One  of  the  captives  was  selected, 
and  the  dangling  end  of  the  rope  was  fastened  round  his 
neck;  the  tree  sprang  several  inches  higher,  drawing 
the  man’s  form  up,  straining  the  neck,  and  almost  lift- 
ing the  body  from  the  ground.  The  executioner  then 
advanced,  with  his  short-bladed  falchion,  and  measured 
his  distance  by  stretching  his  weapon  from  the  position 
he  intended  to  strike  across  the  nape  of  the  neck.  He 
then  repeated  this  operation.  At  the  third  time  he 
struck,  severing  the  head  clean  from  the  body.  It  was 
whipped  up  in  the  air  by  the  spring  of  the  released  tree, 
and  sent  rebounding  several  yards  away.  The  remain- 
ing captives  were  dispatched,  one  after  another,  in  like 
manner.  Their  heads  were  unfleshed  by  boiling,  that 
the  skulls  might  decorate  the  poles  around  the  grave. 
The  bodies  were  dragged  away  and  thrown  into  the 
Congo ; the  soil  saturated  with  the  blood  was  gathered 
up  and  buried  with  the  defunct  chief. 

4 ‘However  much  our  young  military  lieutenant 
might  have  wished  to  exert  himself  to  save  these  victims 
of  savage  usage,  since  money  would  not  buy  their  lib- 
erty he  had  to  content  himself  with  knowing  that  he 
was  as  yet  helpless.  The  year  of  grace  will  no  doubt 
come  in  its  own  destined  time,  but  it  may  not  be  hur- 
ried. To  violently  resist  the  butchers  with  rifles  would 
simply  have  been  to  make  them  victims  instead,  and  to 
depopulate  the  land.” 

January  5,  1884,  they  arrived  at  Bolobo,  to  find 
that  unfortunate  station  a second  time  laid  in  ashes. 

One  of  the  natives,  sick,  and  feeling  his  end  ap- 
proaching, pined  for  an  honorable  funeral.  When  a 


610 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


chief  dies,  his  body,  enveloped  in  thousands  of  yards  of 
cloths,  is  borne  to  the  grave  amid  the  booming  of  guns 
and  the  beating  of  drums,  while  slaves  are  massacred, 
and  his  wives  are  strangled  and  laid  beside  him  in  the 
tomb — these  to  accompany  him  in  his  dreary  journey 
to  the  land  of  spirits.  For  a funeral  such  as  this  the 
sick  man  yearned,  and,  to  secure  a substitute,  he  fired 
Bula  Matari’s  houses.  The  dry  thatch  kindled  in- 
stantly, and  the  conflagration  was  irresistible  and  com- 
plete. The  crazy  wretch  was  arrested,  but  in  the 
excitement  of  the  hour  he  escaped,  to  die  in  the  forest, 
comforted,  doubtless,  with  the  assurance  that  his  de- 
parture had  not  been  altogether  without  the  notice  of 
his  fellow- men. 

January  20th,  146  days  after  departing  for  the 
upper  Congo,  the  flotilla  was  again  moored  to  the  bank 
at  Leopoldville.  The  gardens  teemed  with  abundance, 
new  structures  had  been  erected,  the  market  on  the 
plaza  was  well  supplied,  the  relations  with  the  natives 
were  all  that  could  be  desired. 

Boats  were  prepared  and  equipped,  the  Arabs 
were  conveyed  to  the  coast  and  back  again,  Captain 
Hanssens  was  given  the  chief  command,  and  was  ready 
to  depart  on  the  long  journey  to  Stanley  Falls,  when, 
on  the  20th  of  March,  two  months  after  his  arrival, 
Stanley  bade  adieu  to  Leopoldville,  and  turned  his  face 
toward  Europe. 

To  the  spacious  terrace  of  about  three  acres  cut 
from  the  side  of  Leopoldville  and  converted  into  a 
grand  promenade  and  market-place,  came  the  chiefs  of 
Kintamo,  and  some  hundreds  of  their  people,  to  say 
“ good-bye.” 

Ngalyema,  no  longer  a child,  now  knew" his  duties, 
and  performed  them  well.  At  sunrise  each  Sun- 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


511 


day  he  hoisted  the  flag  of  the  Association  above  his 
town.  He  came  and  went  and  exchanged  presents  like 
an  honest  man.  At  times  he  said  wise  things : “ The 

gifts  of  a friend  should  not  be  examined  as  to  their 
worth.”  “A  peanut  from  a true  friend  is  better  than  a 
bunch  of  bananas  from  an  enemy.”  “Among  friends 
you  may  sleep  with  open  doors.”  “A  look  from  a 
friend’s  eyes  is  better  than  a treasure  of  cloth  from  a 
man  you  doubt.” 

When  Stanley’s  men  were  drawn  up  in  line,  Ngal- 
yema  pressed  forward  for  a last  word.  Charge  your 
white  sons,”  he  said,  “ not  to  be  rude  to  me  and  my 
people ; not  to  push  and  smack  my  children  when  they 
come  to  the  station.  For  white  men  differ  from  each 
other  as  much  as  black  ones.  We  are  all  friends  and 
brothers  now,  but  when  the  old  man  is  gone  the  young 
man’s  head  grows  large,  and  he  speaks  with  a loud 
tongue.  Charge  the  sons  you  leave  behind  that  they  do 
not  forget  that  we  are  Bula  Matari’s  brothers.” 

Then  Stanley  called  Captain  Seymour  Saulez  up, 
and  presented  him  to  Ngalyema. 

“See,  Ngalyema,  this  son  of  mine.  Believe  in  him 
as  you  would  believe  in  me.  He  is  slow  to  anger,  not 
apt  to  break  his  word.  While  he  wears  this  face,  be 
not  afraid  of  him.  If  it  turns  black,  you  will  know  that 
he  has  become  your  enemy.  Watch  it  daily,  and  when 
it  begins  to  change  color  you  will  know  that  the  evil 
spirit  is  in  him.  Until  that  time,  sleep  in  peace.  Fare 
you  well,  Ngalyema,  Makabi,  Mubi,  old  Ngako,  and 
you,  Manswala,  Ganchu,  Enjeli — good-bye,  all  of  you ! ” 

So  ended  the  work  of  founding  the  Congo  State. 
More  attention  has  been  given  to  its  details  than  to 
those  of  Stanley’s  other  journeys ; but  it  well  merits  it. 
This  is  undoubtedly  his  most  important  work.  Never 


512 


THE  WORK  COMPLETED. 


before  has  so  vast  an  empire  arisen  so  peacefully,  and 
no  movement  seems,  so  full  of  hope  and  promise  for  the 
future  of  the  Dark  Continent. 

Of  Stanley’s  reception  in  Europe  nothing  need  be 
said  in  detail.  Fetes,  feasts,  honors,  medals,  congratu- 
lations, messages,  all  were  thickly  showered  upon  him. 
The  great  explorer  had  accomplished  a wonderful  task, 
and  the  one  all-absorbing  question  for  the  time  was : 
“What  shall  be  done  to  the  man  whom  the  king  delight- 
eth  to  honor  ? ” He  had  well  earned  a season  of  rest, 
and  a measure  of  rest  he  enjoyed  for  a time.  But 
other  tasks  yet  lay  before  him;  work  of  which  he 
dreamed  as  little  as  of  his  first  expedition  in  the  Land 
of  Darkness. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


AID  a Calabar  chief  to  a traveler  who  remom 
strated  with  him  for  his  cruel  human  sacrifices, 
“ a slave  be  nothing Therein  is  the  key  to  most  of  the 
enormous  cruelties  perpetrated  in  Africa.  The  slave- 
trade  affords  a pretext  for  the  wars  of  the  natives  with 
ach  other,  and  of  the  Arabs  with  the  natives.  The 
lave  is  the  most  convenient  victim  for  human  sacrifices, 
for  accusation  for  witchcraft,  or  for  meat  in  a canni- 
bal feast. 

Americans  generally  are  accustomed  to  consider 
the  slave-trade  of  recent  origin.  This  view  is  erroneous. 
When  the  early  Portuguese  voyagers  first  began  to  trade 
upon  the  African  coast,  slaves  were  among  the  articles 
offered  for  sale.  When  the  Moors  dwelt  in  Spain, 
negro  slaves  were  continually  imported  by  them.  In 
the  days  of  Herodotus,  negroes  were  part  of  the  tribute 
paid  by  Ethiopia  to  Egypt.  Long  before  the  time  of 
the  father  of  history,  the  negro  had  become  a 
prominent  feature  in  Egyptian  sculpture.  Since  the 
days  of  Noah,  Ham  has  been  accursed ; a servant  of  ser- 
vants unto  his  brethren. 

Civilization  is  system.  The  slave-trade  of  the 
ancients,  the  slave-trade  of  the  middle  ages  and  the 
slave-trade  of  the  modern  Arab  have  been  of  a desul- 
tory type.  The  civilized  European,  since  the  days  of 


514 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


Columbus  has  conducted  the  slave-trade  systematically, 
and  instructed  the  Arab.  He  has  reduced  its  cruelties 
to  system,  its  horrors  to  method,  its  vileness  to  routine, 
and  its  atrocities  to  regime. 

To  Satan  his  due.  The  slave-trade  has  not  been 
without  benefit  upon  Africa.  To  the  slave-trade  we  owe 
the  first  spirit  of  enterprise  in  Africa.  To  the  slave- 
trade  we  owe  the  writings  of  many  a gallant  early  ex- 
plorer. To  the  slave-trade  Africa  owes  the  fact  that 
many  of  her  worst  and  most  dangerous  classes  were  de- 
ported to  other  regions.  The  history  of  the  slave-trade 
has  been  to  a certain  extent  the  history  of  the  survival 
of  the  fittest. 

The  last  statement  will  occasion  some  surprise. 
Up  to  the  present  century  the  slave-trade  was  upon  a 
different  basis  from  what  it  is  at  present.  East  and 
West  Africa  afford  two  entirely  different  general  systems 
of  carrying  on  the  traffic.  West  Africa  has  but  few 
laws,  and  they  are  not  written.  Such  little  justice  as  is 
meted  out  is  summary.  A husband  may  flog  his  wife 
at  pleasure.  But  such  marks  of  affection  do  not  exist 
as  a mode  of  punishment  in  the  criminal  code.  There 
are  but  two  common  penalties,  slavery  and  capital  pun- 
ishment. There  is  some  justice,  though  it  be  greatly 
exaggerated,  in  the  fact  that  the  detected  thief  or  robber 
is  punished  by  loss  of  his  freedom. 

This  is  in  principle  precisely  the  same  as  our  mode 
of  punishment  by  confinement  with  hard  labor.  There 
is,  however,  this  difference  in  working  details.  Civilized 
nations  grade  the  period  of  punishment  according  to  the 
gravity  of  the  offense  : but  in  Africa  the  general  rule  is, 
once  a slave,  always  a slave.  And  as  among  the  ancient 
Romans,  the  slave  is  absolutely  at  the  mercy  of  his 
master.  His  only  assurance  of  life  is  that  he  is  a 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


515 


rather  valuable  piece  of  property.  He  may  be  killed 
or  sold,  according  to  the  whim  or  passion  of  his  master. 
Hence,  for  hundreds  of  years  a large  proportion  of  the 
slaves  from  West  Africa  have  belonged  to  the  criminal  or 
convict  class.  Had  slavery  been  limited  to  these,  ob- 
jections to  it  would  have  been  fewer,  and  its  overthrow 
more  difficult.  Confined  to  a class  whose  choice  would 
necessarily  have  been  between  death  and  slavery,  even 
Patrick  Henry,  in  his  cooler  moments,  might  have  pro- 
nounced it  a philanthropic  measure. 

Such  has  not  been  the  case;  and  from  its  other 
source  have  grown  its  evils.  Prisoners  of  war  might  be 
sold  as  slaves.  The  natural  result  of  this  has  been  that 
where  a ready  market  for  slaves  could  be  found,  the 
slightest  pretext  for  war  has  been  eagerly  seized.  Hence, 
throughout  Africa  there  has  resulted  perpetual  commo- 
tion. The  strongest  have  preyed  upon  the  weakest.  It 
has  been  the  case  of  the  “de’il  tak’  the  hindmost.”  It 
has  filled  Africa  with  burning  villages,  wasted  fields, 
desolate  homes,  and  mangled  carcasses. 

Such  is  not  the  only  objection.  It  has  been  a drag 
upon  the  wheel  of  commercial  progress.  At  first  a 
stimulus,  its  effects  have  been  upon  a single  line. 
“Black  Ivory”  has  always  been  preferred  to  any  other 
commodity.  It  can  furnish  its  own  transportation,  be- 
sides transporting  other  goods,  and  look  considerably  to 
its  own  foraging ; and  it  commands  a good  price  in  the 
market.  Check  the  slave-trade  and  you  vastly  increase 
the  exports  of  palm-oil,  ivory,  ebony,  dyewoods,  gums, 
and  other  valuable  merchandise. 

But  the  reader  should  not  make  the  mistake  of  sup- 
posing that  the  custom  of  reducing  prisoners  of  war  to 
a state  of  slavery  has  been  confined  to  Africa.  It  has 
been  prevalent  in  all  parts  of  the  world  and  in  almost 


516 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


■ 


all  ages.  Rome  owed  one  of  her  most  desolating  wars 
to  an  insurrection  of  her  slaves,  who  were,  though  con- 
temptuously styled  barbarians,  of  races  kindred  to  her 
own.  The  Greeks  enslaved  each  other  by  wholesale. 
At  the  failure  of  Alcibiades’  ill-fated  expedition  against 
Sicily,  thousands  of  Athenians  were  condemned  to  life- 
labor  in  mines  as  horrible  as  those  of  Siberia.  And  as 
in  Russia,  the  culture  or  refinement  of  the  prisoner 
served  but  to  increase  his  misery.  But  while  slavery 
among  these  nations  was  the  result  of  war,  it  was  never 
the  object.  It  is  not  recorded  that  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  make  war  merely  to  obtain  slaves.  But  in 
Africa  the  Arab  has  so  done  for  centuries.  So  also  the 
Portuguese.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  African  originated  the 
practice.  The  experience  of  travelers  points  to  the  fact 
that  it  seems  to  be  entirely  unknown  in  regions  not  pen- 
etrated by  foreign  traders. 

It  is  needless  to  dwell  at  great  length  upon  the 
atrocities  perpetrated  by  slave  traders.  It  is  a traffic 
that  is  upon  the  decline.  Brazil  is  closed  to  it.  The 
civilized  nations  have  for  years  been  fighting  it.  The 
Arab  remains  its  only  great  advocate  and  conductor. 
The  Arab  character  is  anything  but  humane.  A people 
who,  crossing  a desert,  can  with  cool  indifference  aban- 
don an  exhausted  companion  to  his  fate,  can  not  be  ex- 
pected to  have  much  more  consideration  for  the  slaves 
in  their  gang.  A slave-woman  carries  a child  and  a 
bundle  of  hoes.  She  is  nearly  exhausted.  She  cannot 
carry  both.  The  hoes  would  buy  two  or  three  such 
children.  Her  child  is  tossed  among  the  rocks.  It  is  a 
mere  matter  of  business.  Another  child  can  be  capt- 
ured in  the  next  raid ; not  so  the  merchandise.  Pro- 
visions are  scarce.  Some  of  the  wretched  slaves  begin 
to  drop  from  exhaustion.  They  are  abandoned  to  the 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


517 


beasts ; or,  if  another  slaver  be  near,  the  jealous  master 
may  murder  the  fatigued  unfortunates  lest  his  more 
prosperous  neighbor  should  profit  by  what  he  has  been 
compelled  to  abandon.  The  supply  of  slaves  is  small. 
Collecting  his  men,  the  Arab  will  attack  an  unsuspect- 
ing village  in  the  night,  shoot  down  the  men  by  the 
blaze  of  the  burning  huts,  and  carry  the  women  and 
children  into  captivity  and  concubinage.  Details  of  one 
case  have  been  already  given.  The  story  of  one  is  the 
story  of  all. 

But  not  all  slaves  are  thus  obtained  as  prisoners  of 
war,  or  as  criminals.  In  West  Africa  it  is  common  for 
parents  to  sell  their  children.  There  seems  to  be  a lack 
of  proper  natural  affection  in  this  region.  This  species 
of  traffic  has  been  fostered  especially  by  the  Portuguese. 
It  is  too  costly  for  the  Arab.  He  can  obtain  a sufficient 
supply  by  murder  or  rapine.  That  requires  no  goods, 
and  no  time  lost  in  bargaining. 

With  the  slave  trade  of  the  West  Coast,  conducted 
by  the  Portuguese,  the  civilized  world  has  been  longest 
acquainted.  Not  till  the  days  of  Livingstone  was  any- 
thing very  definite  known  of  Arab  practices  in  the  in- 
terior of  Africa. 

The  slave-trade  has  long  been  recognized  as  a 
curse.  The  ban  of  the  Pope  was  on  it  for  centuries ; 
and  the  Pope’s  most  loyal  subjects  were  its  most  vigor- 
ous promoters.  Wilberforce  aroused  public  sentiment 
in  England  against  it,  and  England  established  a squad- 
ron of  vessels  upon  the  West  Coast  for  its  suppression. 
Livingstone  attracted  the  attention  of  England  to  the 
East  Coast,  and  efforts  were  made  for  its  suppression  in 
that  quarter.  Other  travelers  exposed  the  slave-trade 
of  the  Upper  Nile,  and  the  expedition  led  by  Baker  un- 
dertook to  stop  that  nefarious  business. 


518 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


It  is  commonly  supposed  that  the  sole  object  of 
Baker’s  expedition  was  to  suppress  the  slave  trade.  Such 
was  not  the  case.  That  was  incidental,  not  the  prime 
motive.  But  because  the  slave  traffic  formed  the  most 
serious  obstacle  in  his  way,  we  have  thought  best  to 
briefly  direct  atttention  to  it.  This  expedition  is  the 
first  in  the  chain  of  events  that  brought  about  Stanley’s 
last  journey. 

Ismail  Pasha,  fifth  viceroy  of  Egypt,  and  first 
Khedive,  was  anxious  to  establish  a great  Nile  empire, 
independent  of  Turkey.  In  this  scheme  he  was 
thwarted  by  European  powers.  Yet  some  steps  were 
partially  successful.  Darfur  was  conquered  in  1876. 
Some  years  before  he  had  turned  his  attention  to  the 
White  Nile  region,  and  had  selected  Sir  Samuel  W.  Baker, 
the  Ceylon  hunter  and  one  of  the  earlier  explorers  of  the 
Upper  Nile,  as  the  most  capable  person  to  lead  the  ex- 
pedition “organized  to  subdue  to  our  authority  the  coun- 
tries situated  to  the  south  of  Gondokoro.  ” The  suppres- 
sion of  the  slave  trade,  the  establishment  of  legitimate 
commerce,  and  the  opening  of  the  river  and  lakes  to 
navigation  were  rather  as  means  to  the  end. 

Baker’s  expedition  was  on  a grand  scale.  Three 
sectional  steamers,  and  two  sectional  steel  life  boats, 
nine  other  steamers,  fifty-five  sailing  vessels  and  1,600 
regular  troops  were  assigned  to  him.  His  appointment 
was  for  four  years  ; but  two  years  were  spent  in  reaching 
Gondokoro.  Not  even  Baker  himself  had  fully  compre- 
hended the  magnitude  of  the  task  before  him. 

That  the  slavers,  whose  headquarters  were  at  Khar- 
toum, would  oppose  the  work  by  every  possible  means, 
was  a foregone  conclusion ; to  the  soldiery  themselves, 
Gondokoro  was  a horrible  penal  colony;  the  Turk,  Arab 
and  Circassian  officers  were  disaffected ; and  moreover, 


EMBARRASSING  RESULTS  OF  A FEMALE  SLAVE  EMANCIPATION. 


520 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


being  Mohammedans,  religiously  and  dutifully  hated 
their  Christian  commander : and  back  of  all  was  the 
savage  and  stolid  conservatism  of  the  natives,  for  cen- 
turies moving  in  the  same  ruts,  and  thoroughly  opposed 
to  a new  order  of  things.  The  whole  history  of  Ismailia 
is  a continual  struggle  with  treachery,  indolence,  sick- 
ness, natural  obstacles,  assassinations  and  poison. 
When  Baker’s  term  expired,  he  left  three  small  gar- 
risons south  of  Gondokoro ; but  at  the  latter  station  were 
concentrated  a good  supply  of  stores  and  several  steam- 
ers, for  the  use  of  his  successor.  With  this  exception, 
Gordon  Pasha  found  the  field  in  rather  worse  condition 
than  did  Baker.  Open  opposition  and  secret  treachery 
were  to  be  encountered  everywhere. 

This  was  not  the  fault  of  the  ex-governor.  He  had 
really  done  well.  Everywhere  he  had  encountered  mis- 
representation and  enmity.  With  such  foes,  and  with 
beneficiaries  who  were  no  better,  and  were  unapprecia- 
tive, Baker’s  chances  of  success  were  very  small.  Ere 
he  had  left  Central  Africa  he  had  but  little  confidence  in 
the  integrity  of  the  negro.  Yet  not  a little  was  done 
toward  the  establishment  of  civilization  in  the  region. 
Nor  was  it  an  entirely  a thankless  task.  Slaves  were 
freed  wherever  found ; Arab  dealers  were  compelled  to 
confine  their  transactions  to  legitimate  merchandise; 
otherwise  their  property  was  liable  to  confiscation.  And 
though  the  Arab  was  not,  the  civilized  world  was  inter- 
ested and  anxious  for  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 
And  the  poor  creatures  who  were  freed  from  time  to  time 
were  as  grateful  as  mortals  in  their  sad  state  could  well 
be.  Their  demonstrations  of  gratitude  and  joy  were 
sometimes  embarrassing;  always  touching. 

Baker’s  successor  was  the  celebrated  Chinese  Gor- 
don, one  of  the  grandest  men  the  world  has  seen.  De- 


CHINESE  GORDON. 


522 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


spite  the  peculiar  difficulties  of  his  situation,  this  won- 
derful man  soon  secured  a semblance  of  civilization  and 
peace.  He  won  the  good  will  of  most,  and  commanded 
the  respect  of  all.  His  indomitable  pluck  a$d  devotion 
remind  one  of  Havelock.  Col.  H.  G.  Prout,  sometime 
governor  of  the  Equatorial  Province,  writes  in  Scribner’s  : 

“What  was  the  secret  of  his  wonderful  power? 
Much  of  it  lay  in  his  fearlessness,  much  in  his  swiftness 
of  thought  and  action,  and  much  what  the  Yankee  would 
call  his  capability  in  all  things,  small  as  well  as  great. 
He  could  ride  and  shoot  and  tinker  and  conduct  cam- 
paigns and  negotiate  treaties,  all  with  unhesitating  self- 
reliance. 

“ As  a matter  of  course  such  a man  takes  command. 
Gordon  never  lacked  opportunities  to  show  these  qual- 
ities. When  steaming  quietly  up  the  Nile  a monkey  with 
which  he  was  playing  fell  overboard.  In  a twink- 
ling Gordon  was  in  the  water  after  him.  By  good  luck 
the  crocodiles  got  neither  Governor-General  nor  monkey. 
When  a nugger  was  being  hauled  up  the  rapids  some 
way  south  of  Lado  the  cable  got  away  from  the  men  on 
the  bank  and  the  vessel  was  swept  on  the  rocks.  No 
one  would  volunteer  to  go  out  and  pick  up  the  cable, 
and  Gordon  jumped  into  the  skiff  and  went  alone.  To 
be  sure,  the  skiff  upset,  and  the  Governor-General  sat 
some  hours  dripping  on  a rock,  but  his  men  had  a les- 
son. 

“On  another  occasion,  the  garrison  of  one  of  the 
stations  was  thrown  into  much  anxiety  by  seeing  Gor- 
don alone,  rowing  across  the  river  to  the  East  bank, 
which  was  in  that  region  occupied  by  intensely  hostile 
negroes.  He  landed,  made  his  boat  fast,  and  tried  by 
a display  of  beads  and  wire  to  induce  the  savages  to 
come  and  talk  with  him.  They  simply  sat  on  the  hill- 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


523 


side  and  scowled.  Finally  Gordon  shot  a hippopotamus 
and  paddled  back,  leaving  the  beads  on  the  shore  and  a 
fine  feast  of  hippopotamus  meat  in  the  rushes.  An- 
other man  would  have  been  killed.  ” 

Scrupulously  neat,  Gordon  yet  despised  martinet- 
ism,  ostentation  or  flummery.  Nothing  was  done  at  hap- 
hazard ; he  knew  every  detail  of  his  work.  His  religion 
showed  itself  continually;  but  not  in  a self-advertising 
way.  He  was  simply  one  of  the  very  few  men  whose 
lives  are  in  logical  accord  with  their  convictions.  He 
could  not  be  lukewarm ; always  clear-headed,  he  never 
allowed  minor  details  to  distract  his  attention  from  the 
main  point. 

When  he  gave  up  the  province  to  take  charge  of 
Khartoum,  he  had  twenty-five  stations  within  easy  stage 
of  each  other.  Constant  communication  was  kept  up ; 
the  soldiery  disciplined  and  paid,  and  the  opposition  of 
the  natives  so  far  overcome  that  ten  men  garrisoned  a 
point  before  held  by  700;  and  thousands  of  natives 
could  be  assembled  for  carrying  service  on  a few  hours 
notice.  The  debt  of  the  province  was  being  paid  off 
by  the  surplus  revenue  from  the  sale  of  ivory ; and  to  ac- 
complish all  this,  very  little  fighting  had  been  done. 

The  year  1881  witnessed  the  rebellion  of  Arabi 
Pasha,  in  Egypt,  and  consequent  complications  with 
England.  Gladstone  has  walked  politically  a very 
crooked  path;  morally  a fairly  straight  one.  When 
England  sent  her  troops  into  Egypt,  the  movement  was 
regarded  with  jealousy  by  other  European  governments. 
Gladstone  announced  that  it  was  not  his  intention  to  es- 
tablish an  English  protectorate  over  Egypt.  He  only 
intended  to  aid  the  Khedive  in  subduing  an  insurrec- 
tion in  which  the  lives  and  property  of  English  resi- 
dents were  at  stake. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  AN  EGYPTIAN  DETACHMENT. 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


525 


But  Providence  pointed  out  a different  line  of  ac- 
tion. In  the  Soudan  arose  a false  prophet,  calling  him- 
self El  Mahdi,  the  successor  of  Mohammed,  who  was 
destined  to  conquer  the  world.  Having  for  years  lived 
a recluse,  and  professed  great  sanctity,  he  at  once  drew 
thousands  to  his  standard.  Hicks  Pasha,  with  an  army 
organized  from  the  shattered  remnants  of  Arabi’s  forces, 
was  cut  to  pieces.  Out  of  16,000  men,  but  fifty-two 
escaped  alive ; many  of  these  were  severely  wounded. 

In  this  crisis,  in  1884,  Gordon  was  sent  to  Khar- 
toum. He  found  lie  could  act  only#on  the  defensive. 
Within  a year  he  was  shut  in  completely  and  cut  off 
from  the  rest  of  the  world.  All  the  circumstances 
pointed  that  the  proper  course  for  Mr.  Gladstone  to 
pursue  was  to  at  once  throw  a strong  force  into  Upper 
Egypt.  But  could  he  do  this  and  keep  his  promise  to 
rival  European  powers  ? 

While  endeavoring  to  solve  this  problem  satisfac- 
torily, events  moved  rapidly.  Garrison  after  garrison 
fell.  Khartoum  held  out.  Garnet  Wolseley  was  sent  to 
its  relief.  But  Gladstone  had  reached  his  decision  too 
late.  But  a single  foothold  remained  to  Egypt  in  the 
Upper  Nile  . region ; and  for  a moment,  even  that  was 
forgotten.  But  after  the  first*  thrill  of  horror  at  Gor- 
don’s fate  came  the  query,  What  of  his  lieutenant  ? 

The  year  1840,  in  which  Stanley  was  born,  is  also 
the  date  of  the  birth  of  Edward  Schnitzer,  a German 
Hebrew,  of  Oppeln,  in  Silesia.  In  1842  the  family 
moved  to  Neisse,  in  Germany;  and  there  Edward’s 
mother  and  sister  still  live.  In  1845  his  father  died. 
After  a course  of  training  in  the  gymnasium  at  Neisse, 
and  studying  medicine  at  the  University  of  Breslau 
and  the  Berlin  Academy,  the  young  man’s  fondness 
for  adventure  and  for  natural  science  led  him  abroad. 


526 


TO  KESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


When  twenty-four  years  old  he  went  to  Turkey.  At 
Scutari  he  attracted  the  attention  of  Valis  Ismael  Pasha 
Haggi,  and  became  a member  of  his  staff.  This  posi- 
tion gave  him  a thorough  acquaintance  with  the  more 
important  Semitic  races;  and  his  attention  to  duty 
gained  for  him  the  sobriquet  of  “ Emin,”  or  “the  faith- 
ful.” In  1873  the  Pasha  died,  and  Emin,  after  a two 
years’  abode  in  Constantinople,  returned  to  Neisse.  But 
his  restless  spirit  soon  took  him  abroad,  and  he  went  to 
Egypt,  entering  the  service  of  the  government  in  1876, 
as  Emin  Effendi;  Effendi  being  an  Arabic  title  signify- 
ing a very  learnetf  man,  or  distinguished  scholar. 

Personally,  the  young  German  was  of  medium 
height,  tough  and  wiry,  slender,  swarthy,  with  black 
hair  and  eyes.  Very  reticent  about  himself,  he  was  by 
many  in  the  Soudan  supposed  to  be  a Turk  of  extraor- 
dinary acquirements.  Why  he  came  there  none  could 
tell.  There  was  no  prospect  of  much  pay  or  distinc- 
tion, and  he  seemed  to  have  no  great  philanthropic 
ardor.  But  in  a character  like  his,  enthusiastic  and  re- 
flective, his  sympathies  developed  noble  purposes,  as 
great  opportunities  were  presented. 

Gordon  Pasha  recognized  in  Emin  just^the  man  he 
needed.  He  sent  him  qn  repeated  tours  of  inspection 
and  important  embassies.  When  in  1878  Gordon  was 
made  governor  of  the  entire  Soudan  district,  Emin  was 
appointed  commander  at  Lado,  and  governor  of  the 
equatorial  province.  The  fall  of  Khartoum  and  assassi- 
nation of  Gordon  did  not  dishearten  him.  He  could 
have  cut  his  way  out,  and  abandoned  the  women  and 
children.  But  he  would  take  no  step  toward  the  aban- 
donment of  the  province  he  had  governed  so  faithfully 
for  six  years.  Among  hostile  tribes,  without  money  to 
pay  a soldiery  easily  discontented,  occupying  a dozen 


EMIN  BEY. 


528 


TO  KESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


river  stations  long  distances  apart,  ammunition  almost 
exhausted,  it  seemed  that  his  position  was  utterly  un- 
tenable. That  mattered  not;  he  had  been  appointed 
governor  of  that  province,  and  like  Casabianca,  he 
would  remain  at  his  post.  And  to  desperate  straits 
was  he  once  reduced,  his  men  escaping  by  a desperate 
sortie,  after  days  of  famine,  and  after  “ the  last  torn 
leather  of  the  last  boot  had  been  eaten.” 

“ But,  in  the  face  of  manifold  difficulties  and  dan- 
gers, he  maintained  his  position,  governed  the  country 
well,  and  taught  the  natives  how  to  raise  cotton,  rice, 
indigo,  and  coffee,  and  also  how  to  weave  cloth,  and 
make  shoes,  candles,  soap,  and  many  articles  of  com- 
merce. He  vaccinated  the  natives  by  the  thousand,  in 
order  to  stamp  out  small-pox ; he  opened  the  first  hos- 
pital known  in  that  quarter ; he  established  a regular 
post-route  with  forty  offices ; he  made  important  geogra- 
phical Idiscoveries  in  the  basin  of  the  Albert  Lake;  and 
in  many  ways  demonstrated  his  capacity  for  governing 
barbarous  races  by  the  methods  and  standards  of 
European  civilization.” 

The  diary  which  he  kept  gives  much  light  upon  the 
difficulties  to  be  encountered.  At  times  he  seemed  al- 
most despairing.  Lupton  Bey’s  capture  by  the  Mahdi 
seriously  disturbed  him.  January  1st,  1885,  he  wrote: 

“Well  may  our  friends  have  long  since  given  up  all 
hope  for  us ; our  own  Government  has  certainly  deserted 
us.  Yet  we  have  managed  to  hold  our  own,  and  to  de- 
fend our  flag.  How  long  we  shall  still  be  able  to  do  so 
is  a mere  question  of  time,  for  as  soon  as  the  little  re- 
maining ammunition  which  we  possess  is  expended,  it 

will  be  all  up  with  us. We  are  without  news  as  to  the 

course  of  events  in  Khartoum ; in  fact,  the  whole  outer 
world  seems  to  have  vanished  from  our  ken.  We  have 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


529 


now  begun  to  manufacture  for  ourselves  the  most  indis- 
pensable'articles — very  passable  shoe-work,  soap,  and 
more  recently  still,  cotton  cloth  for  clothes.  Candles 
made  of  wax  prove  very  useful,  and  instead  of  sugar  we 
use  honey.  We  have  not,  however,  yet  succeeded  in  our 
endeavors  to  make  vinegar,  but  I am  not  without  hope 
that  we  shall  have  success  in  that  direction.  Temper- 
ance is  naturally  compulsory,  for  the  drinks  of  native 
manufacture  can  only  be  consumed  by  children  of  the 
soil.  Coffee,  which  we  have  long  missed,  we  have  at 
last  replaced  by  roasting  the  seeds  of  a species  of  hibis- 
cus, and  brewing  from  it  a fairly  passable  drink ; tea 
naturally  does  not  exist.  I thank  God  for  his  protec- 
tion hitherto,  and  hope  and  have  faith  enough  to  be- 
lieve that  He  will  still  protect  us,  and  at  last  enable  my 
fewT  poor  people  to  return  to  their  homes  in  peace. 

Tenth  January.  Our  fate,  it  seems,  is  soon  to  be 
decided ; we  hear  that  400  armed  men  from  Bahr-el- 
Ghazel  have  joined  the  rebels,  and  that  1,500  more  are 
on  the  way.  Only  a miracle  can  save  us.  I send  at 
once  as  many  as  possible  of  my  people  to  the  south,  for 
the  route  to  Mtesa  is  still  in  existence.  If  I escape  I will 
follow  with  my  soldiers.  But  I can  hardly  expect  to 
escape.  It  is  shameful  of  our  Government  to  have 
abandoned  us. 

In  short,  the  only  question  was,  whether  the 
Mahdists  would  attack  at  once  or  not.  They  were 
powerful  enough  to  annihilate  Emin,  as  they  had  Hicks 
Pasha.  But  about  this  time  the  Mahdi  died — it  is  cur- 
rently reported,  at  the  hand  of  an  assassin.  A new 
Mahdi  conducted  the  campaign,  but  with  less  ability 
than  his  predecessor.  Emin  had  a brief  reprieve. 

The  outlook  was  certainly  gloomy.  But  some  tem- 
porary relief  was  afforded  him  by  Dr.  Junker,  the  Ger- 


530 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


man  explorer,  who  left  him  in  January,  1886,  sending 
back  to  him  some  provisions  and  ammunition.  During 
the  latter  part  of  1885  his  position  had  become  easier, 
and  measures  for  his  relief  were  taken  immediately 
upon  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Junker  in  civilization. 

Public  opinion  in  England  had  been  outraged  by 
dilatory  measures,  and  the  death  of  Gordon.  A general 
demand  arose  for  the  relief  of  Emin  Bey.  The  govern- 
ment took  no  further  action  in  the  matter  than  to  allow 
a small  grant  of  money,  from  the  Egyptian  treasury. 
But  private  subscription  furnished  abundance,  and  an 
“Emin  Belief  Committee”  promptly  pressed  the  work. 
Stanley  wras  a member  of  the  committee.  But  when 
means  were  provided,  a skillful  leader  was  wanted. 

Stanley  had  already  been  considering  the  question 
of  routes ; but  he  had  arranged  for  a series  of  lectures 
in  America,  and  was  allowed  to  depart.  His  engage- 
ments would  have  brought  him  $50,000  in  a year.  For 
thirteen  years  he  had  been  absent  from  America.  But 
December  11th  Sir  William  McKinnon  cabled  him  that 
his  plan  was  accepted,  and  Stanley  at  once  returned  to 
England.  After  arranging  matters  there  and  visiting 
the  King  of  Belgium  once  more,  he  sailed  for  Egypt, 
ready  to  undertake,  without  fee  or  reward,  the  greatest 
task  he  had  yet  attempted. 

As  to  the  character  of  the  expedition,  Mr.  Stanley 
said,  in  conversation  with  Colonel  Colborne,  a veteran 
of  the  Egyptian  army,  at  Cairo : “ My  mission  is  purely 
pacific.  Does  anyone  think  I am  going  to  wade 
through  blood  to  get  at  Emin  ? If  I succeeded,  what 
would  be  the  consequence  ? News  would  be  brought  to 
the  King:  ‘Stanley  is  coming  with  an  army  of  thirty 
thousand  men’ — you  know  how  figures  increase  when 
estimated  by  savages — and  what  would  be  the  conse- 


TO  RESCUE  EMIN  BEY. 


53 


quence  ? 4 Ho ! is  he,  indeed  ? ’ the  King  would  say ; 

‘ I’ll  teach  him  to  bring  an  army  into  my  country. 
Chop  off  the  heads  of  the  missionaries.’  “And,”  added 
Mr.  Stanley,  speaking  quite  excitedly,  44  whaty  I should 
like  to  know,  is  the  value  of  Emin’s  life  in  comparison 
with  that  of  such  noble  men  as  Mackay,  Lichfield,  Pere 
Loudel,  and  Frere  Delmonce?  Does  anyone  think  I 
would  sacrifice  them  for  the  sake  of  Emin  ? ” 

To  friends  at  home  he  had  said : 

44  The  expedition  is  non-military — that  is  to  say,  its 
purpose  is  not  to  fight,  destroy  or  waste ; its  purpose  is 
to  save,  relieve  distress,  to  carry  comfort.  Emin  Pasha 
may  be  a good  man,  a brave  officer,  a gallant  fellow  de- 
serving of  a strong  effort  of  relief,  but  I decline  to 
believe,  and  I have  not  been  able  to  gather  from  any 
one  in  England,  an  impression  that  his  life,  or  the  lives 
of  a few  hundred  under  him,  would  overbalance  the 
lives  of  thousands,  of  natives,  and  the  devastation  of  im- 
mense tracts  of  country,  which  an  expedition  strictly 
military  would  naturally  cause.  The  expedition  is  a 
more  powerful  caravan,  armed  with  rifles  for  the  pur- 
pose of  insuring  the  safe  conduct  of  the  ammunition  to 
Emin  Pasha,  and  for  the  more  certain  protection  of  this 
people  during  the  retreat  home.  But  it  also  must  bear 
the  means  of  purchasing  the  friendship  of  tribes  and 
chiefs,  of  buying  food,  and  paying  its  way  liberally.  ” 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


C^^2HE  following  facts  will  enable  the  reader  to  more 
6 7#  clearly  understand  the  position  which  Emin 
occupied.  From  Damietta,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Nile,  to  Khartoum,  is  1,718  miles.  This  point  is  now  a 
stronghold  of  the  Mahdi.  From  Khartoum  to  Lado,  the 
point  established  by  Gordon  as  the  capital  of  the  Equa- 
torial province,  is  1,010  miles.  From  Lado  to  Wadelai, 
Emin’s  capital,  is  about  500  miles.  Wadelai  is  but  40 
miles  from  Lake  Albert.  It  is  in  the  highlands,  though 
on  the  river  bank.  The  Nile,  from  the  Victoria  to  Lado, 
is  called  by  the  Arabs,  “Bahr-el-Gebel,”  or  River  of 
Mountains.  Were  there  more  timber,  portions  of  its 
course  would  suggest  the  Hudson.  Islands  and  rapids 
abound.  From  Foweira,  eighty  miles  above  Lake 
Albert,  to  Lado  is  an  estimated  fall  of  1,875  feet.  . Yet 
for  one  hundred  miles  of  the  intervening  distance,  the 
river  is  broad  and  placid.  Beyond  Lado,  as  far  as 
Khartoum,  the  river  is  called  the  White  Nile.  A short 
distance  below  Lado  the  picturesque  character  of  the 
scenery  disappears.  The  hills  recede,  the  forests  are 
gone ; in  a short  while  even  the  banks  of  the  river  are 
gone;  then  the  stream  itself  is  unseen;  it  is  hidden  by 
a “sudd,”  or  mass  of  floating  vegetation,  and  the  sur- 
rounding country  is  one  vast,  dreary  marsh,  uninhabited 
and  uninhabitable.  This  extends  three  hundred  miles, 

(532) 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS.  533 

and  is  the  great  barrier  on  the  north  which  effectually 
cut  off,  at  first,  communication  with  Egypt.  Baker  wai 
fourteen  months  forcing  a passage  through  this  region, 
from  Khartoum  to  Lado.  When  Gordon  opened  a 
channel  for  steamers,  the  same  journey  could  be  made 
in  sixteen  days.  There  are,  or  were  before  the  Mahdi 
stopped  travel,  two  routes  to  the  Equatorial  provinces. 
The  shorter  is  down  the  Red  Sea  to  Suakim ; thence  two 
hundred  and  forty  miles  by  caravan  to  Berber ; thence 
by  steam  or  sail  up  the  Nile  to  Lado.  The  longer  route 
is  by  river,  500  miles  to  Assouan;  six  miles  by  rail 
around  the  first  cataract ; one  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
by  water  to  Korosko;  nine  days  by  caravan  to  Abou 
Hamed,  thence  four  or  five  days  by  caravan  and  water 
to  Berber.  The  rest  of  the  route  is  the  same  as  the 
other  one. 

Most  of  the  general  traits  of  the  African  have  been 
noticed  elsewhere.  The  Upper  Nile  tribes  do  not  differ 
from  most  others  in  a marked  degree,  though  much 
finer  in  physical  development  than  the  stunted  and 
prognathous  coast  negro.  Their  costumes  are  made  of 
sunshine  and  paint,  though  the  women  of  some  tribes 
also  wear  a tail  of  loose  strings,  which  switches  about 
with  the  movements  of  the  owner  in  a most  grotesque 
manner.  This  article  has  perhaps  given  rise  to  many 
of  the  stories  of  tailed  men  in  Africa. 

Many  of  the  natives  are  herdsmen,  but  they  are  not 
nomadic,  and  raise  considerable  quantities  of  doura, 
millet,  and  similar  grains ; also  beans,  tobacco,  bananas, 
and  sweet  potatoes.  Their  weapons  are  spears,  bows, 
and  arrows.  They  cannot  be  very  skillful  hunters,  as 
there  is  still  an  abundance  of  large  game  in  the  country. 
Elephants  abound,  and  they  and  the  hippopotami  do  no 
small  damage  to  the  crops  of  the  natives.  Sometime*  a 


534: 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


herd  of  elephants  may  rush  through  a settlement  at 
night,  demolishing  everything  in  their  route. 

Prominent  among  Upper  Nile  tribes  are  the  La- 
tookas  and  wild  savages  of  the  Ellyrian  mountain 
fastnesses.  These  are  more  nomadic,  fearless,  and 
untamable  than  the  natives  of  the  more  open  and  level 
regions,  and  are  not  so  easy  a prey  for  the  slave-traders. 
More  than  once  they  have  driven  a band  of  raiders  over 
a precipice.  They  do  not  differ  in  most  important 
features  from  the  other  Nilotic  tribes,  save  in  their 
peculiar  helmets,  formed  by  weaving  vegetable  fibers 
into  their  growing  hair,  and  facing  the  front  with  a 
plate  of  copper.  A tough  rim  or  border  is  also  formed. 
Such  a helmet  requires  years  to  complete.  When  fin- 
ished, and  ornamented  with  waving  plumes,  as  for  a 
funeral  or  war-dance,  the  headpiece  is  quite  striking. 

Crocodiles  are  as  numerous  in  the  Upper  Nile  as  in 
any  African  river.  They  and  the  natives  have  a mutual 
regard  for  one  another,  dining  at  each  other’s  expense 
at  every  possible  opportunity.  Small  curved  rows  of 
piles  are  driven  into  the  water  at  government  stations, 
to  obtain  a place  whence  water  can  be  dipped  without 
danger  from  voracious  saurians. 

It  is  seen  clearly  that  Emin  could  not  be  reached 
by  the  Nile  route.  The  Mahdi  was  in  full  possession. 
There  was  some  doubt  as  to  whether  a large  force  could 
be  led  inward  from  Zanzibar.  The  natives  had  lately 
shown  much  restlessness.  So,  despite  the  general  sen- 
timent of  the  European  public,  Stanley  had  chosen  the 
Congo  route.  He  believed  that  by  sailing  up  the 
Aruwimi,  he  could  come  within  fourteen  days’  march  of 
the  grassy  plains  west  of  Lake  Albert.  How  much  he 
underestimated  the  great  Congo  forest  will  be  seen 
later.  But  by  following  a route  unfrequented  by 


latoora  funeral  dance. 


636 


FBOM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


traders  or  travelers,  he  hoped  to  reach  Emin  without 
alarming  the  adjacent  tribes,  and  thereby  involving 
Emin  in  greater  difficulties.  Also,  there  would  be  less 
danger  of  arousing  the  ferocious  Mwanga  against  the 
missionaries  in  his  land.  The  latter  was  already  very 
suspicious  of  white  men. 

Having  completed  his  arrangements  with  the  Egyp- 
tian Government,  Stanley  went  to  Zanzibar,  where  his 
agents  had  already  mustered  a force  for  the  expedition. 
In  four  days  Stanley  was  ready  to  set  sail.  There  were 
with  him  nine  European  officers,  sixty-one  Soudanese, 
thirteen  Somalis,  three  interpreters,  six  hundred  and 
twenty  Zanzibaris,  and  Tippu-Tib,  with  407  of  his 
people. 

The  action  of  the  committee  in  securing  Tippu-Tib 
has  been  severely  criticised.  As  a matter  of  fact,  it 
was  the  best  thing  to  be  done.  Deane,  the  agent  at 
Stanley  Falls,  had  rashly  quarreled  with  the  Arabs,  and 
Tippu-Tib  was  preparing  for  war  upon  the  Congo  State. 
He  was  bought  off  by  giving  him  the  post  of  governor  at 
Stanley  Falls,  with  a salary  of  $150  per  month.  Fur- 
thermore, he  commanded  two  of  the  best  roads  from  the 
Upper  Congo  to  Wadelai.  His  opposition  would  have 
been  fatal.  He  agreed  to  supply  six  hundred  carriers, 
at  $30  a man ; and  as  Emin  was  reported  to  have  about 
seventy-five  tons  of  ivory,  much  of  the  expense  of  the 
expedition  might  be  defrayed,  should  all  eventually 
make  their  way  out. 

Leaving  Zanzibar  by  steamer  on  February  25th, 
1887,  with  the  men  employed,  four  weeks  brought  the 
party  to  the  mouth  of  the  Congo.  From  this  point  to 
Emin’s  capital  is  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  miles,  of  which  four  hundred  lay  through  an  unex- 


538 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


plored  region.  The  expedition  had  little  difficulty  in 
ascending  the  Congo  as  far  as  Stanley  Pool;  but  on 
reaching  this  point,  it  was  found  that  there  was  a lack 
of  a proper  means  of  transportation.  A halt  was  made 
at  Kinshassa,  and  final  arrangements  with  Tippu-Tib 
completed,  while  Stanley  endeavored  to  secure  the  use 
of  the  steamers  belonging  to  the  mission  stations  at  the 
Pool.  The  Arab  was  rather  dilatory  in  fulfilling  his 
contract,  and  gave  good  reason  to  suspect  him  of 
treacherous  intent ; but  as  he  was  the  absolute  autocrat  of 
all  Central  Africa,  for  the  sake  of  the  friendship  of  the 
natives  through  whose  territory  the  expedition  would 
pass,  it  was  necessary  to  have  at  least  the  apparent 
friendship  of  the  Arab. 

Owing  to  the  delay  in  obtaining  transportation,  the 
party  occupied  from  the  26th  of  March  to  the  10th  of 
June  in  traveling  from  the  mouth  of  the  Congo  to 
Aruwimi  station,  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  miles  from  the  sea. 

A detachment  was  sent  to  Stanley  Falls  to  rebuild 
some  houses,  negotiate  with  the  natives,  and  secure  and 
send  forward  convoys  of  provisions.  Leaving  a rear- 
guard at  Yambuya,  under  Major  Edmund  Barttelot,  the 
senior  officer  of  those  accompanying  him,  Stanley  pushed 
on  with  the  main  body.  Barttelot’s  associates  were 
Jamieson,  Troup,  Ward,  and  Bonny.  The  rear-guard 
numbered  257  men.  It  was  to  wait  a reasonable  time 
for  Tippu-Tib’s  promised  carriers ; then  Barttelot  might 
abandon  such  things  as  were  mentioned  in  a letter  of 
instructions  given  him  by  Stanley,  and  follow  the  latter’s 
blazed  trail  through  the  forest  by  forced  marches. 
Should  the  carriers  arrive,  the  goods  were  to  be  brought 
forward  by  easy  stages.  The  instructions  were  ad- 
mitted by  the  officers  to  be  thoroughly  intelligible.  The 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS.  539 

advance  column,  numbering  389  officers  and  men,  set 
out  from  Yambuya  June  28th,  188T. 

For  a time,  continual  bulletins  of  progress  reached 
the  coast.  Few  unusual  difficulties  were  met  during 
the  first  two  months.  But  the  Upper  Aruwimi  was  too 
narrow  for  navigation,  and  all  the  stores  had  to  be  car- 
ried on  the  men’s  backs.  Progress  was  necessarily  slow. 
The  rafts  were  abandoned.  The  steel  sectional  whale- 
boat was  still  very  uSciUl,  and  was  carried  on.  Streams 
were  to  be  crossed,  and  in  some  places  the  Aruwimi  ex- 
panded so  as  to  permit  navigation.  The  country  was 
reported  peaceful ; but  it  was  thinly  populated. 

Early  in  August  came  the  news  that  Stanley  was 
advancing  without  the  relief  designed  for  Emin.  Pro- 
visions were  scarce,  and  officers  and  men  were  enduring 
severe  privations.  Sickness  was  rife  in  the  camp,  pro- 
moted by  the  great  hardships.  The  party  was  on  the 
borders  of  the  great  Upper  Congo  forest,  which  is  riv- 
aled only  by  the  dense  dark  jungles  of  the  Amazon. 
Stanley  wrote  of  it : 

“ Take  a thick  Scottish  copse,  dripping  with  rain  ; 
imagine  this  copse  to  be  a mere  undergrowth,  nourished 
under  the  impenetrable  shades  of  ancient  trees,  ranging 
from  100  to  180  feet  high;  hriers  and  thorns  abundant; 
lazy  creeks,  meandering  through  the  depths  of  the  jun- 
gle, and  sometimes  a deep  affluent  of  a great  river. 
Imagine  this  forest  and  jungle  in  all  stages  of  decay, 
and  growth-old  trees  falling,  leaning  perilously  over, 
fallen  prostrate ; ants  and  insects  of  all  kinds,  sizes, 
and  colors  murmuring  around;  monkeys  and  chimpan- 
zees above,  queer  noises  of  birds  and  animals,  crashes 
in  the  jungle  as  troops  of  elephants  rush  away ; dwarfs 
with  poisoned  arrrows  securely  hidden  behind  some 
buttress,  or  in  some  dark  recess ; strong,  brown-bodied 


STANLEY  AND  TIPPU-TTB  TN  CAMP  AT  KINSBASSA. 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


541 


aborigines  with  terrible  sharp  spears,  standing  poised, 
still  as  dead  stumps ; rain  pattering  down  on  you  every 
other  day  in  the  year ; an  impure  atmosphere,  with  its 
dread  consequences,  fever  and  dysentery ; gloom 
throughout  the  day,  and  darkness  almost  palpable 
throughout  the  night;  and  then,  if  you  will  imagine 
such  a forest  extending  the  entire  distance  from  Ply- 
mouth to  Peterhead,  you  will  have  a fair  idea  of  some 
of  the  inconveniences  endured  by  us.  ” 

Meanwhile,  the  carriers  promised  by  Tippu-Tib 
had  not  arrived  at  Yambuya.  The  disturbances,  in  the 
Aruwimi  region  increased.  It  soon  became  impossible 
to  obtain  any  news  of  the  advance  column.  Now  there 
came  a definite  report ; now  a vague  rumor.  All  were 
conflicting.  At  one  time  Emin  had  been  reached  in 
safety ; again,  the  entire  expedition  had  been  massacred 
far  to  the  west  of  Wadelai.  Now  Stanley  and  Emin 
with  united  forces  were  marching  on  Khartoum  to 
avenge  Gordon ; then  both  were  prisoners  in  the  Mah- 
dist  camp  at  Lado. 

Then  came  stories,  continued  and  seemingly  reli- 
able, of  the  deeds  of  a great  white  chief  in  the  Bahr  El 
Ghazel  region.  Conjectures  were  rife  as  to  his  identity. 
“Stanley,”  said  many;  “Gordon,”  said  many  others 
(for  not  a few  times  since  the  fall  of  Khartoum  has  the 
account  of  Gordon’s  death  been  contradicted).  Others 
believed  it  to  be  Edmund  O’Donovan,  a gifted  English 
journalist  who  had  gone  to  Egypt  with  Hicks  Pasha, 
under  orders  to  join  the  army  of  the  Mahdi,  if  possible. 
He  had  a thorough  knowledge  of  Arabic,  and  had  more 
than  once  successfully  masqueraded  as  a native.  His 
body  was  never  found  among  the  massacred  troops  of 
Hicks  Pasha,  and  many  of  his  friends  believed  the 
gifted  young  correspondent  was  alive  somewhere  in  the 


542 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


interior.  But  as  time  passed,  the  rumors  of  the  White 
Pasha  died  away. 

From  the  rear-guard,  however,  came  definite  and 
discouraging  reports.  They  had  held  the  camp  for  a 
year,  their  ranks  thinned  by  disease  and  privation. 
Then  a disturbance  occurred,  and  Major  Barttelot  was 
shot  by  the  natives.  At  once  many  journals  pro- 
nounced it  a piece  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  Tippu- 
Tib.  But  the  reports  from  the  Congo  declared  it  was 
merely  because  of  Barttelot’s  insolent  and  overbearing 
behavior  towards  the  natives.  Whatever  the  cause,  the 
report  was  officially  verified.  Small  hope  for  Stanley  if 
his  base  of  supplies  was  gone.  Meanwhile,  the  Upper 
Aruwimi  region  continued  in  a state  of  turmoil.  No 
messengers  could  reach  Stanley;  none  came  from  him. 
Even  the  rumors  ceased. 

December  15th,  1888,  came  a bolt  from  the  clear 
sky.  Osman  Digna,  the  French  renegade,  leader  of  the 
Mahdist  army  near  Suakim,  sent  under  a flag  of  truce  a 
message  to  the  British  commander  there,  stating  that 
Stanley  and  Emin  Bey  were  prisoners  in  his  power. 
Strong  proofs  were  furnished.  One  was  the  copy  of  a 
letter  he  had  just  received  from  an  Arab  officer  in  the 
Soudan.  It  ran  thus  : 

“ In  the  name  of  the  Great  God,  etc.  This  is  from 
the  least  of  God’s  servants  to  his  Master  and  Chief 
Khalifa,  etc.  We  proceeded  with  the  steamers  and 
army.  Reached  the  town  of  Lado,  where  Emin,  Mudir 
of  the  Equator,  is  staying.  We  reached  this  place  5th 
Safar,  1306.  We  must  thank  officers  and  men  who 
made  this  conquest  easy  to  us  before  our  arrival.  They 
caught  Emin  and  a traveler  staying  with  him,  and  put 
both  in  chains.  The  officers  and  men  refused  to  go  t® 
Egypt  with  the  Turks.  Tewfik  sent  Emin  one  of  the 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


543 


travelers,  whose  name  is  Mr.  Stanley.  This  Mr.  Stan- 
ley brought  with  him  a letter  from  Tewfik  to  Emin, 
dated  8th  Jemal  Aowal,  1304,  No.  81,  telling  Emin  to 
come  with  Stanley,  and  gave  the  rest  of  the  force  the 
option  to  go  to  Cairo  or  remain.  The  force  refused  the 
Turkish  orders,  and  gladly  received  us.  I found  a great 
deal  of  feathers  and  ivory.  I am  sending  with  this  on 
board  the  Bordain  the  officers  and  chief  clerk.  I am 
also  sending  the  letterwhich  came  to  Emin  from  Tewfik, 
with  the  banners  we  took  from  the  Turks.  I heard  that 
there  is  another  traveler  who  came  to  Emin,  but  I 
heard  that  he  returned.  I am  looking  out  for  him.  All 
the  chiefs  of  the  province,  with  the  inhabitants,  were  de- 
lighted to  receive  us.  I have  taken  all  the  arms  and 
ammunition.  Please  return  the  officers  and  chief  clerk 
when  you  have  seen  them  and  given  the  necessary  in- 
structions, because  they  will  be  of  great  use  to  me.” 

After  grave  consideration,  however,  the  report  was 
pronounced  false.  The  design  was  evident.  Osman 
wished  to  make  the  evacuation  of  Suakim  the  terms  of 
his  release  of  the  two  great  travelers.  The  letter  above 
was  accompanied  by  one  purporting  to  have  been  given 
to  Stanley  for  Emin  by  the  Khedive  of  Egypt.  It  was 
not  difficult  to  prove  this  a forgery.  But  the  letter  from 
the  Arab  officer  contained  more  truth  than  the  public 
supposed.  No  one  was  prepared  for  the  real  facts. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  publication  of  the 
letters  referred  to,  the  experienced  African  traveler, 
Joseph  Thomson,  whose  opinion  was  of  great  weight, 
made  public  his  views  concerning  the  fate  of  Stanley. 
He  stated  that  without  doubt  the  entire  expedition  had 
perished  miserably.  There  was  no  other  conclusion 
possible.  Had  Stanley  succeeded,  or  had  a fair  oppor- 


STANLEY'S  DEPARTURE  FROM  YAM  BUY  A CAMP. 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


545 


tunity  of  succeeding,  the  world  would  have  heard  from 
him  definitely  long  before. 

Concerning  the  mode  of  the  party’s  destruction,  he 
said : 4 4 Stanley  has  met  his  terrible  fate  in  some  such  way 
as  this : he  started  from  the  Aruwimi,  and  almost  im- 
mediately plunged  into  the  dense  forests,  to  be  made 
worse  by  swamps  further  east.  Through  such  a country 
his  caravan  would  have  to  travel  in  single  file,  with 
probably  no  more  than  twenty  men  in  sight  at  one  time. 
Under  such  conditions  it  would  be  impossible  for  the 
Europeans  to  keep  in  touch  with  their  men,  and  thus 
scattered,  thus  without  officers  in  a sense,  they  would 
fight  at  a terrible  disadvantage.  And  fight  they  would 
have  to  do  for  daily  food  if  nothing  else,  and  con- 
sequently with  each  succeeding  week  be  less  able  to  con- 
tinue the  struggle.  In  this  way  they  plunged  deeper  and 
deeper  into  the  recesses  of  the  unknown  forest  and  swamp 
— and  deeper  and  deeper,  no  doubt,  into  the  heart  of  a 
powerful  tribe  of  natives.  And  then  the  end  came. 
Probably  in  that  last  struggle  for  life  not  a soul  escaped. 

4 ‘If  you  ask  me  why  no  news,  no  rumor  of  that 
catastrophe  leaked  out,  I answer  because  there  was  no 
trade,  not  even  a slave  route,  through  that  region. 
There  was  not  a native  or  Arab  merchant  to  carry  the 
news  from  tribe  to  tribe ; and  as  each  tribe  has  little 
but  fighting  relations  with  the  neighboring  ones,  the 
tidings  would  not  get  through  by  their  means.  And, 
after  all,  what  would  the  massacre  of  a passing  caravan 
be  to  those  savages?  Only  a common  incident  not 
worth  speaking  about  beside  the  continual  tribal  wars 
they  are  accustomed  to.  The  one  thing  they  would  find 
to  remark  would  be  the  wonderful  character  of  the 
plunder.  Some  day,  no  doubt,  the  news  will  leak  out, 
but  it  may  be  months  before  anything  reaches  us.  It  is 


546 


FROM  GLOOM  TO  GLADNESS. 


not  much  use  crying  over  spilt  milk,  but  one  can  not 
help  lamenting  this  probable  new  disaster.  It  is  all  too 
much  on  a par  with  the  terrible  blunderings  in  the 
Soudan  and  East  Africa.  Only  another  remarkable 
man  killed  and  the  magnificent  life's  work  of  another 
ruined.  But  for  the  selection  of  the  Congo  route  Stan- 
ley might  have  been  alive,  Emin  succored,  and  not  im- 
probably the  Mahdi’s  host  defeated." 

This  was  the  only  thing  lacking  to  establish  a 
general  belief  in  the  complete  failure  of  the  enterprise. 
The  conviction  grew  in  the  public  mind  that  the  great 
explorer  was  not  longer  of  this  world. 

But  the  old  adage  of  the  darkest  hour  being  just  be- 
fore dawn  never  had  better  verification.  Within  ten 
days  came  an  official  dispatch,  stating  that  Stanley  had 
reached  Emin  with  the  first  installment  of  relief,  and 
had  returned  to  bring  up  the  rearguard.  There  was  no 
longer  any  fear  for  the  two  heroes.  What  Stanley  had 
once  done  he  could  again  do. 

In  April,  1889,  a long  letter  from  Stanley  was  re- 
ceived by  the  chairman  of  the  Emin  Belief  Committee. 
Stanley  shall  tell  his  own  story  of  his  troubles. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


>HE  advance  column,  consisting  of  three  hundred 
and  eighty-nine  officers  and  men,  set  out  from 
Yambuya  June  28th,  1887.  The  first  day  we 
followed  the  river  bank,  marched  twelve  miles,  and  ar- 
rived in  the  large  district  of  Yankonde.  At  our  ap- 
proach the  natives  set  fire  to  their  villages,  and,  under, 
cover  of  the  smoke,  attacked  the  pioneers  who  were 
clearing  the  numerous  obstructions  they  had  planted 
before  the  village.  The  skirmish  lasted  fifteen  minutes. 
The  second  day  we  followed  a path  leading  inland  by 
trending  east.  We  followed  this  path  five  days  through 
a dense  population.  Every  art  known  to  native  minds 
for  molesting,  impeding  and  wounding  an  enemy  was 
resorted  to ; but  we  passed  through  without  the  loss  of 
a man.  Perceiving  that  the  path  was  taking  us  too  far 
from  our  course,  we  cut  a northeasterly  track,  and 
reached  the  river  again  on  the  5th  of  July.  From  this 
date  until  the  18th  of  October  we  followed  the  left  bank 
of  the  Aruwimi.  After  seventeen  days’  continuous 
marching  we  halted  one  day  for  rest.  On  the  twenty- 
fourth  day  from  Yambuya  we  lost  two  men  by  desertion. 
In  the  month  of  July  we  made  four  halts  only.  On  the 
1st  of  August  the  first  death  occurred,  which  was  from 
dysentery ; so  that  for  thirty-four  days  our  course  has 
been  singularly  successful.  But  as  we  now  entered  a 


548 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


wilderness,  which  occupied  us  nine  days  in  marching 
through  it ; our  sufferings  began  to  multiply,  and  several 
deaths  occurred.  The  river  at  this  time  was  of  great 
use  to  us ; our  boats  and  canoes  relieved  the  wearied  and 
sick  of  their  loads,  so  that  progress,  though  not  brilliant 
as  during  the  first  month,  was  still  steady. 

“On  the  13th  of  August  we  arrived  at  Air-Sibba. 
The  natives  made  a bold  front ; we  lost  five  men  through 
poisoned  arrows;  and  to  our  great  grief  Lieutenant 
Stairs  was  wounded  below  the  heart ; but,  though  he  suf- 
fered greatly  for  nearly  a month,  he  finally  recovered.  On 
the  15th  Mr.  Jephson,  commanding  the  land  party,  led 
his  men  inland,  became  confused  and  lost  his  way.  We 
were  not  reunited  until  the  21st.” 

The  natives  manufacture  their  potent  poisons  from 
the  bodies  of  venomous  insects  reduced  to  a paste  and 
coated  on  the  arrow  tip.  Thus  the  original  poisonous 
principle  is  reinforced  by  septic  matter,  producing  some- 
times results  like  the  effect  of  a cut  in  a dissecting  room. 
Usually,  however,  the  wounded  party  dies  of  tetanus. 

“ On  the  31st  of  August  we  met  for  the  first  time  a 
party  of  Manyema,  belonging  to  the  caravan  of  Ugar- 
rowwa,  alias  Uledi  Balyuz,  who  turned  out  to  be  a form- 
er tent  boy  of  Speke’s.  Our  misfortunes  began  from 
this  date,  for  I had  taken  the  Congo  route  to  avoid 
Arabs,  that  they  might  not  tamper  with  my  men,  and 
tempt  them  to  desert  by  their  presents.  Twenty-six 
men  deserted  within  three  days  of  this  unfortunate 
meeting. 

“ On  the  16th  of  September  we  arrived  at  a camp 
opposite  the  station  at  Ugarrowwa’s.  As  food  was  very 
scarce,  owing  to  his  having  devasted  an  immense  region, 
we  halted  but  one  day  near  him.  Such  friendly  terms 
as  I could  make  with  such  a man  I made,  and  left  fifty- 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


549 


six  men  with  him.  All  the  Somalis  preferred  to  rest  at 
Ugarrowwa’s,  to  the  continuous  marching.  Five  Sou- 
danese were  also  left.  It  would  have  been  certain  death 
for  all  of  them  to  have  accompanied  us.  At  Ugarrow- 
wa’s they  might  possibly  recover.  Five  dollars  a month 
per  head  was  to  be  paid  to  this  man  for  their  food.” 

September  18th,  the  party  left  Ugarrowwa’s,  but 
by  October  6th,  eight  men  had  died  and  fifty-two  others 
were  too  sick  to  travel.  Captain  Nelson,  lamed  by  ulcers, 
with  these  men  and  eighty-two  loads,  was  left  behind  in 
a temporary  camp,  while  the  rest  pushed  forward  in 
search  of  provisions.  October  18th,  the  van  reached  a 
settlement  occupied  by  Kilinga-Longa,  ‘a  Zanzibari 
slave  belonging  to  Abed  bin  Salim,  an  old  Arab,  whose 
bloody  deeds  are  recorded  in  ‘The  Congo  and  the  Found- 
ing of  its  Free  State.’  This  proved  an  awful  month  to 
us ; not  one  member  of  the  expedition,  white  or  black, 
will  ever  forget  it.  The  advance  numbered  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-three  souls  on  leaving  Ugarrowwa’s, 
because  out  of  three  hundred  and  eighty  we  had  lost 
sixty-six  men  by  desertion  and  death  between  Yambuya 
and  Ugarrowwa’s,  and  had  left  fifty-six  men  sick  at  the 
Arab  station.  On  reaching  Kilinga -Longa’s  we  discov- 
ered we  had  lost  fifty-five  men  by  starvation  and  deser- 
tion. We  had  lived  principally  on  wild  fruit,  fungi  and 
a large,  flat,  bean-shaped  nut.  The  slaves  of  Abed  bin 
Salim  did  their  utmost  to  ruin  the  expedition.  Short  of 
open  hostilities,  they  purchased  rifles,  ammunition, 
clothing,  so  that  when  we  left  their  station  we  were  beg- 
gared, and  our  men  were  absolutely  naked.” 

The  force  afterwards  sent  back  to  relieve  Capt.  Nelson 
found  only  five  left  out  of  fifty- two.  Twenty  others 
were  out  foraging;  of  these,  ten  eventually  straggled  in. 
The  rest  were  never  heard  from.  Placing  the  survivors 


550 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


at  Kilinga-Longa’s,  the  rest  pushed  on,  and  reached  a 
settlement  called  Ibwiri. 

“The  Arab  devastation  had  reached  within  a few 
miles  of  Ibwiri — a devastation  so  complete  that  there 
was  not  one  native  hut  standing  between  Ugarrowwa’s 
and  Ibwiri,  and  what  had  not  been  destroyed  by  the 
slaves  of  Ugarrowwa  and  Abed  bin  Salim  the  elephants 
had  destroyed,  and  turned  the  whole  region  into  a hor- 
rible wilderness.  But  at  Ibwiri  we  were  beyond  the  ut- 
most reach  of  the  destroyers ; we  were  on  virgin  soil  in 
a populous  region  abounding  with  food.  Our  suffering 
from  hunger,  wrhich  began  on  the  31st  of  August,  termi- 
nated on  the  12th  of  November.  Ourselves  and  men 
were  skeletons.  Out  of  three  hundred  and  eighty-nine 
we  now  only  numbered  one  hundred  and  seventy-four, 
several  of  whom  seemed  to  have  no  hope  of  life  left.  A 
halt  was  therefore  ordered  for  the  people  to  recuperate. 
Hitherto  our  people  were  skeptical  of  what  we  had  told 
them ; the  suffering  had  been  so  awful,  calamities  so 
numerous,  the  forest  so  endless  apparently,  that  they 
refused  to  believe  that  by  and  by  we  should  see  plains 
and  cattle  and  the  Nyanza  and  the  white  man  Emin 
Pasha.  We  felt  as  though  we  were  dragging  them  along 
with  a chain  around  our  necks.  ‘ Beyond  these  raiders 
lies  a land  untouched,  where  food  is  abundant  and  where 
you  will  forget  your  miseries ; so  cheer  up,  boys  ! be  men, 
press  on  a little  faster.’  They  turned  a deaf  ear  to  our 
prayers  and  entreaties,  for,  driven  by  hunger  and  suf- 
fering, they  sold  their  rifles  and  equipments  for  a few  ears 
of  Indian  corn,  deserted  with  the  ammunition,  and  were 
altogether  demoralized.  Perceiving  that  prayers  and 
entreaties  and  mild  punishment  v/ere  of  no  avail,  I then 
resolved  to  visit  upon  the  wretches  the  death  penalty.  Two 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


551 


of  the  worst  cases  were  accordingly  taken  and  hung  in  the 
presence  of  all.,, 

For  thirteen  days  the  company  reveled  in  good 
things.  Setting  forward  November  24th,  in  a week  they 
emerged  from  the  great  forest  upon  the  immense  grassy 
plains  surrounding  the  Albert  Nyanza.  The  effect  upon 
the  men,  after  160  days  of  gloom,  was  electrical;  they 
ran,  shouted,  leaped  and  raced  with  their  burdens.  In 
highest  spirits,  they  would  have  faced  any  foe. 

One  hundred  and  sixty  days  had  been  occupied  in 
the  journey  for  which  Stanley  had  estimated  two  weeks. 

On  December  9th  the  subjects  of  the  powerful  chief 
Mazamboni  prepared  to  dispute  the  passage.  Stanley 
made  a stockade  on  the  hill,  while  the  drums  and  horns 
and  war  cries  of  the  natives  were  arousing  the  country 
with  their  din.  A slight  preliminary  skirmish  resulted 
in  the  capture  of  a cow.  The  expedition  tasted  beef  for 
the  first  time  since  leaving  the  ocean.  The  night  was 
passed  peacefully,  and  on  the  10th  attempts  at  negotia- 
tion were  made. 

Conversing  with  the  strangers  at  a respectful  dis- 
tance, the  natives  said  their  king  was  Kabba  Eega,  of 
Unyoro ; Mazamboni  was  his  deputy.  All  paid  tribute 
to  Uganda.  Some  cloth  and  brass  were  given  them, 
and  they  left.  Next  morning,  with  a terrible  din,  they 
came  to  drive  the  strangers  back. 

“Our  hill  stood  between  a lofty-range  of  hills  and 
a lower  range.  On  one  side  of  us  was  a narrow  valley 
two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  wide ; on  the  other  side  the 
valley  was  three  miles  wide.  East  and  west  of  us  the 
valley  broadened  into  an  extensive  plain.  The  higher 
range  of  hills  was  lined  with  hundreds  preparing  to  de- 
scend; the  broader  valley  was  already  mustering  its 
hundreds.  There  was  no  time  to  lose.  A body  of 


554 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


forty  men  were  sent,  under  Lieutenant  Stairs,  to  attack 
the  broader  valley.  Mr.  Jephson  was  sent  with  thirty 
men  east ; a choice  body  of  sharpshooters  was  sent  to 
test  the  courage  of  those  descending  the  slope  of  the 
highest  range.  Stairs  pressed  on,  crossed  a deep  and 
narrow  river  in  the  face  of  hundreds  of  natives,  and  as- 
saulted the  first  village  and  took  it.  The  sharpshooters 
did  their  work  effectively,  and  drove  the  descending  na- 
tives rapidly  up  the  slope  until  it  became  a general 
flight.  Meantime,  Mr.  Jephson  was  not  idle.  He 
marched  straight  up  the  valley  east,  driving  the  people 
back,  and  taking  their  villages  as  he  went.  By  3 p.  m. 
there  was  not  a native  visible  anywhere,  except  on  one 
small  hill  about  a mile  and  a half  west  of  us.” 

During  the  next  two  days  there  was  almost  contin- 
ual skirmishing ; and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th  the 
party  came  in  sight  of  Lake  Albert.  The  men  who  had 
doubted,  being  deceived  by  the  appearance  of  a plain 
with  mountains  in  the  distance,  were  now  ashamed  and 
begged  pardon.  The  expedition  was  on  a great  plateau, 
5,200  feet  above  the  sea,  while  the  lake  was  over  2,900 
feet  below  them.  As  they  descended  the  steep  slope,  the 
hostile  natives  hung  upon  the  rear,  giving  them  some 
trouble.  A night  attack  was  made  on  the  camp  by  the 
lake,  but  a few  shots  from  the  sentries  dispersed  them. 

On  the  14th  an  attempt  was  made  to  establish 
friendship  with  the  people  of  Kakongo,  a village  on  the 
southwest  of  the  lake.  In  vain : “ They  would  not  allow 
us  to  go  to  the  lake,  because  we  might  frighten  their  cat- 
tle. They  would  not  exchange  blood- brotherhood  with 
us,  because  they  never  heard  of  any  good  people  coming 
from  the  west  side  of  the  lake.  They  would  not  accept 
any  present  from  us,  because  they  did  not  know  who  we 
were.  They  would  give  us  water  to  drink,  and  they 


STANLEY  LANDING  AT  THE  BRITISH  CONSULATE,  Z. 


554- 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


. ; 


would  show  us  our  road  up  to  Nyam  Sassic.  But  from 
these  singular  people  we  learned  that  they  had  heard 
there  was  a white  man  at  Unyoro,  but  they  had  never 
heard  of  any  white  men  being  on  the  west  side,  nor  had 
they  seen  any  steamers  on  the  lake.  There  were  no 
canoes  to  be  had,  except  such  as  would  not  hold  the 
men.” 

African  slaves  of  precedent,  these.  All  white  men 
had  hitherto  come  from  the  east ; therefore,  these  men 
from  the  west  could  not  be  genuine,  honest  white  men. 
The  natives  were  not  quarrelsome,  but  would  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  the  strangers. 

The  white  man  of  whom  they  had  heard  as  being  in 
Unyoro  was  probably  Captain  Casati.  This  man,  an 
Italian  explorer,  had  been  in  that  region  in  the  Egyptian 
service.  At  the  rilmors  of  Stanley’s  approach  he  had 
been  stripped  of  almost  everything  by  the  king,  Kabba 
Rega,  the  same  man  who  had  been  so  treacherous  in  his 
dealings  with  Baker,  and  who  had  endeavored  to  poison 
Baker’s  entire  force.  Emin  had  found  Casati  in  a woful 
plight,  and  had  rescued  him  from  the  clutches  of  Kabba 
Rega.  Thenceforth  they  had  been  together. 

Stanley  had,  ere  leaving  Zanzibar,  dispatched 
couriers  to  Emin  to  give  notice  of  the  proposed  expedi- 
tion. As  the  natives  had  not  seen  Emin’s  two  steamers, 
and  as  no  news  came  direct  from  him,  it  was  evident  the 
couriers  had  not  arrived.  Stanley’s  boat  was  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety  miles  away.  No  canoes  could  be  ob- 
tained from  the  natives.  No  trees  suitable  for  making 
canoes  grew  near.  To  go  overland  to  Wadelai  was  im- 
practicable. “We  had  used  five  cases  of  cartridges  in 
five  days  of  fighting  on  the  plain.  A month  of  such 
fighting  must  exhaust  our  stock.  There  was  no  plan 
suggested  which  seemed  feasible  to  me,  except  that  of 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


555 


retreating  to  Ibwiri,  build  a fort,  send  a party  back  to 
Kilonga-Longa’s  for  our  boat,  store  up  every  load  in  the 
fort  not  conveyable,  leave  a garrison  in  the  fort  to  hold 
it,  and  raise  corn  for  us ; march  back  again  to  the  Al- 
bert Lake,  and  send  the  boat  to  search  for  Emin  Pasha. 
This  was  the  plan  which,  after  lengthy  discussion  with 
my  officers,  I resolved  upon.” 

So  the  next  day  they  started  back  to  Ibwiri,  per- 
sistently followed  to  the  summit  of  the  plateau  by  the 
natives  of  Kakongo,  who  succeeded  in  killing  one  man 
and  wounding  another.  By  January  7th  the  expedition 
was  once  more  in  Ibwiri,  where  a garrison  was  to  be 
placed  in  the  new  Fort  Bodo. 

“ After  a few  days’  rest  Lieutenant  Stairs,  with  a 
hundred  men,  sent  to  Kilonga-Longa’s  to  bring  the  boat 
and  goods  up,  also  Surgeon  Parke  and  Captain  Nelson. 
Out  of  the  thirty-eight  - sick  in  charge  of  the  officers, 
only  eleven  men  were  brought  to  the  fort ; the  rest  had 
died  or  deserted.  On  the  return  of  Stairs  with  the  boat 
and  goods,  he  was  sent  to  Ugarrowwa’s  to  bring  up  the 
convalescents  there.  I granted  him  thirty-nine  days’ 
grace.  Soon  after  his  departure  I was  attacked  with 
gastritis  and  an  abscess  on  the  arm,  but  after  a month’s 
careful  nursing  by  Dr.  Parke  I recovered,  and  forty-seven 
days  having  expired,  I set  out  again  for  the  Albert  Ny- 
anza,  April  2d,  accompanied  by  Messrs.  Jephson  and 
Parke.  Captain  Nelson,  now  recovered,  was  appointed 
commandant  of  Fort  Bodo  in  our  absence,  with  a garri- 
son of  forty-three  men  and  boys.” 

Three  weeks  brought  the  party  to  the  boundary  of 
Mazamboni’s  country.  The  chieftain  was  this  time  quite 
friendly,  and  he  and  the  other  chieftains  made  blood- 
brotherhood  and  furnished  abundance  of  provisions. 
When  near  the  lake  Stanley  was  told  marvelous  tales  of 


556 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


a white  man  who  had  been  there  with  boats  as  large  as 
islands,  full  of  men.  He  had  left  a black  packet  for 
Stanley  with  the  chief  Kavalli. 

The  report  was  true.  Emin  Pasha  had  been  there. 
The  note,  wrapped  in  oilcloth,  stated  he  had  visited  the 
place  in  consequence  of  hearing  rumors  of  a white  man 
there,  but  obtained  no  definite  news  because  the  natives 
connected  every  stranger  with  Kabba  Rega,  whom  they 
feared.  Emin  requested  the  white  man  to  remain  where 
he  was  till  he  could  communicate  further  with  him. 

“The  next  day,  April  23d,  Mr.  Jephson  was  dis- 
patched with  a strong  force  of  men  to  take  the  boat  to 
the  Nyanza.  On'  the  26th,  the  boat’s  crew  sighted  Mswa 
station,  the  southernmost  belonging  to  Emin  Pasha, 
and  Mr.  Jephson  was  there  hospitably  received  by  the 
Egyptian  garrison.  The  boat’s  crew  were  embraced  one 
by  one,  and  said  they  never  had  such  attention  shown 
to  them  as  by  these  men,  who  hailed  them  as  brothers.” 

April  29th  Stanley  reached  the  spot  from  which  he 
had  retreated  four  and  one-half  months  before,  and  the 
same  evening  Emin  arrived  in  his  steamer,  with  Signor 
Casati  and  Mr.  Jephson.  There  was  no  longer  any  cause 
for  fear  as  to  Emin’s  safety. 

Emin  was,  in  fact,  in  good  condition.  He  then  had 
with  him  two  battalions  of  regulars;  “the  first,  consisting 
of  about  seven  hundred  and  fifty  rifles,  occupied  Dufile, 
Honyu,  Lahore,  Muggi,  Kirri,  Bedden,  Regaf ; the  second 
battalion,  consisting  of  six  hundred  and  forty  men, 
guarded  the  stations  of  Wadelai,  Fatiko,  Mahagi,  and 
Mswa,  a line  of  communication  along  the  Nyanza  and 
Nile  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  in  length.  In 
the  interior  west  of  the  Nile  he  had  three  or  four  small 
stations — fourteen  in  all.  Besides  these  two  battalions 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


557 


he  had  quite  a respectable  force  of  irregulars, — sailors, 
artisans,  clerks,  servants,” — total,  about  8,000. 

He  hesitated  as  to  the  best  course  to  pursue. 
Stanley  insisted  he  should  arrange  to  leave.  The 
women  and  children  perplexed  Emin ; he  had  no  car- 
riers. Stanley  said  the  children  could  be  placed  on  the 
donkeys,  and  the  women  could  walk,  and  be  benefited  by 
it.  Zanzibar  women  had  crossed  Africa  with  him. 
Emin  had  plenty  of  cattle ; and  the  countries  through 
which  they  should  travel  must  supply  grain  and  veget- 
ables. 

But  the  gravest  question  was  one  not  to  be  so  easily 
disposed  of.  Some  of  Emin’s  Egyptians  were  anxious 
to  leave ; had  always  said  the  story  of  Gordon’s  death 
was  a fabrication  of  the  enemy,  and  that  some  day  they 
would  see  his  steamers  come  up  the  Nile  to  bear  them 
to  their  homes.  But  the  regulars  had  led  a free  and 
easy  life ; most  were  married,  many  had  harems.  To 
leave  them  would  be  their  ruin.  Emin  would  have  to 
leave  them  their  arms  and  ammunition,  and  on  his  retir- 
ing all  discipline  would  be  at  an  end.  Disputes  would 
arise,  and  factions  would  be  formed.  The  more  ambi- 
tious would  aspire  to  be  chiefs  by  force,  and  from  these 
rivalries  would  spring  hate  and  mutual  slaughter  until 
there  would  be  none  of  them  left.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  Emin  should  remain,  many  would  want  to  leave  with 
Stanley.  But  to  this,  Emin  had  no  special  objection, 
though  it  would  deprive  him  of  his  artisans,  etc.  Stan- 
ley would  not  agree  to  this.  As  for  Captain  Casati, 
he  declared  he  would  go  if  Emin  did;  otherwise  he 
would  remain. 

But  whatever  was  decided  upon,  the  first  thing  was 
to  bring  up  Stanley’s  rear  guard,  and  the  ammunition 


558 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


and  stores  intended  for  Emin.  The  question  as  to  what 
Emin  should  do  was  for  the  time  laid  on  the  table. 

On  the  25th  of  May,  Stanley,  having  been  with  Emin 
nearly  one  month,  set  out  to  return  to  Fort  Bodo,  leav- 
ing with  Emin  Mr.  Jephson,  three  Soudanese,  and  two 
Zanzibaris ; while  Emin  supplied  him  with  three  irreg- 
ulars and  one  hundred  and  two  Madi  natives  as  porters. 
By  June  8th,  he  was  once  more  at  Fort  Bodo.  ‘ At  the 
fort  were  Captain  Nelson  and  Lieutenant  Stairs.  The 
latter  had  returned  from  Ugarrowwa’s  twenty- two  days 
after  I had  set  out  for  the  lake,  April  2d,  bringing  with 
him,  alas ! only  sixteen  men  out  of  fifty- six.  All  the 
rest  were  dead.  My  twenty  couriers  whom  I had  sent 
with  letters  to  Major  Barttelot  had  safely  left  Ugar- 
rowwa’s  for  Yambuya  on  March  16th. 

“Fort  Bodo  was  in  a flourishing  state.  Nearly  ten 
acres  were  under  cultivation.  One  crop  of  Indian  corn 
had  been  harvested,  and  was  in  the  granaries ; they  had 
just  commenced  planting  again.” 

Emin  had  proposed  to  visit  Fort  Bodo  within  two 
months,  in  company  with  Mr.  Jephson.  The  officers 
were  then  to  destroy  the  fort  and  accompany  Emin  to 
the  Nyanza.  How  fortunate  that  these  instructions  were 
not  carried  out,  will  be  seen  hereafter. 

“ On  the  16th  of  June,  I left  Fort^Bodo  With  a hun- 
dred and  eleven  Zanzibaris  and  a hundred  and  one  of 
Emin  Pasha’s  people.  Lieutenant  Stairs  had  been  ap- 
pointed commandant  of  the  fort,  Nelson  second  in  com- 
mand, and  Surgeon  Parke  medical  officer.  The  garri- 
son consisted  of  fifty-nine  rifles.  I had  thus  deprived 
myself  of  all  my  officers  in  order  that  I should  not  be 
encumbered  with  baggage  and  provisions  and  medicines, 
which  would  have  to  be  taken  if  accompanied  by  Europe- 
ans, and  every  carrier  was  necessary  for  the  vast  stores 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


559 


left  with  Major  Barttelot.  On  the  24th  of  June  we 
reached  Kilonga-Longa’s,  and  July  19th  Ugarrowwa’s. 
The  latter  station  was  deserted.  Ugarrowwa,  having 
gathered  as  much  ivory  as  he  could  obtain  from  that 
district,  had  proceeded  down  river  about  three  months 
before.  On  leaving  Fort  Bodo  I had  loaded  every  car- 
rier with  about  sixty  pounds  of  corn,  so  that  we  had 
been  able  to  pass  through  the  wilderness  unscathed. 

“ Passing  on  down  river  as  fast  as  we  could  go, 
daily  expecting  to  meet  the  couriers,  who  had  been 
stimulated  to  exert  themselves  for  a reward  of  ten 
pounds  per  head,  or  the  Major  himself  leading  an  army 
of  cariers,  we  indulged  ourselves  in  these  pleasing  an- 
ticipations as  we  neared  the  goal. 

“ On  the  10th  of  August  we  overtook  Ugarrowwa 
with  an  immense  flotilla  of  fifty-seven  canoes,  and  to 
our  wonder,  our  couriers  now  reduced  to  seventeen. 
They  related  an  awful  story  of  hairbreadth  escapes  and 
tragic  scenes.  Three  of  their  number  had  been  slain, 
two  were  still  feeble  from  their  wounds,  all  except  five 
bore  on  their  bodies  the  scars  of  arrow  wounds.” 

Fearing  the  worst,  in  a state  of  terrible  nervous 
tension,  knowing  the  inexperience  of  those  left  behind, 
Stanley  still  entertained  a faint  hope  that  all  was  still 
in  fair  condition.  But  he  little  imagined  how  forlorn  was 
the  actual  condition.  He  continues : 

“On  August  the  17th,  we  met  the  rear  column  of 
the  expedition  at  a place  called  Bunalya,  or,  as  the 
Arabs  have  corrupted  it,  Unarya.  There  was  a white 
man  at  the  gate  of  the  stockade  whom  I at  first  thought 
was  Mr.  J ameson,  but  a nearer  view  revealed  the  fea- 
tures of  Mr.  Bonny,  who  left  the  medical  service  of  the 
army  to  acompany  us,  “‘Well,  my  dear  Bonny,  where 
is  th©  Major?’ 


560 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


“ 4 He  is  dead  sir ; shot  by  the  Manyuema  k/>out  a 
month  ago.’ 

“ ‘ Good  God ! And  Mr.  Jameson  ? ’ 

“‘He  has  gone  to  Stanley  Falls  to  try  to  get  some 
more  men  from  Tippu- Tib.’ 

‘“And  Mr.  Troup?’ 

“ ‘Mr.  Troup  has  gone  home,  sir,  invalided.’ 

“ ‘ Hem ! well,  where  is  Ward  ? ’ 

“ ‘ Mr.  Ward  is  at  Bangala,  sir.’ 

“ ‘ Heavens  alive  ! then  you  are  the  only  one  here  ?’ 
“ ‘Yes,  sir.’  ” 

The  reason  of  Barttelot’s  death  has  been  a dis- 
puted point.  The  first  accounts  stated  it  was  due  to 
his  own  imperious  and  impatient  disposition.  Later 
reports  stated  that  he  had  had  a quarrel  with  Tippu- 
Tib’s  nephew,  and  that  he  was  killed  in  a general 
mutiny  inspired  by  the  Arab.  Official  circles  preserved 
a discreet  silence.  Till  lately  the  exact  truth  was  not 
known.  It  appears  the  facts  were  suppressed  out  of 
regard  for  the  Major’s  father. 

Since  various  causes  have  compelled  a statement,  it 
is  now  known  that  Barttelot’s  murder  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  quarrel  with  Tippu-Tib’s  nephew,  or  with  any 
disobedience  of  Stanley’s  orders  except  disobeying  the 
command  to  keep  his  temper,  and  not  shoot  or  attack 
the  natives  without  great  provocation.  Barttelot’s  haste 
in  shooting  natives  in  the  desert  years  ago  led  Stanley 
strenuously  to  object  to  Barttelot’s  accompanying  him 
on  the  Emin  expedition ; but  in  virtue  of  the  pressure 
from  high  quarters,  Stanley  yielded  his  own  better  judg- 
ment, and  allowed  Barttelot  to  go.  All  Africans  dislike  to 
pass  a night  without  incessantly  beating  tomtoms  to  keep 
away  the  evil  spirits,  relays  of  men  and  women  being  kept 
awake  for  the  purpose.  Barttelot  objected  to  this  tom- 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


561 


toming  in  his  camp,  because  it  kept  him  awake,  and  or- 
dered it  stopped.  The  order  was  not  obeyed.  One 
night  the  wakeful  Barttelot  rose  in  his  wrath,  and 
struck  severely  the  person  he  found  beating  a tomtom 
near  his  tent.  Either  he  failed  to  see  that  the  tomtom 
beater  was  a woman,  or  the  fact  made  no  difference  to 
him;  but  it  was  a woman,  and  her  husband  was  on 
sentry  duty,  with  loaded  arms,  near  by.  When  Bartte- 
lot went  back  to  bed  and  to  sleep,  he  went  to  his  long 
sleep.  The  husband  of  the  woman  he  had  struck  mur- 
dered him  in  his  bed.  He  died  a victim  to  his  own 
rashness  and  African  vengeance. 

The  rear  guard  had  advanced  but  fifty  miles, 
while  Stanley  had  traveled  one  thousand.  It  was 
a terrible  wreck.  “ Out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  men  there  were  only  seventy-one  remain- 
ing. Out  of  seventy -one  only  fifty- two,  on  mus- 
tering them,  seemed  fit  for  service,  and  these  mostly 
were  scarecrows.  The  advance  had  performed  the 
march  from  Yambuya  to  Bunalya  in  sixteen  days, 
despite  native  opposition.  The  rear  column  performed 
the  same  distance  in  forty-three  days.  According  to 
Mr.  Bonny,  during  the  thirteen  months  and  twenty  days 
that  had  elapsed  since  I had  left  Yambuya,  the  record 
is  only  one  of  disaster,  desertion  and  death.  I have 
not  the  heart  to  go  into  the  details,  many  of  which  were 
incredible ; and,  indeed,  I have  not  the  time,  for,  except- 
ing Mr.  Bonny,  I have  no  one  to  assist  me  in  re- 
organizing the  expedition.  There  are  still  far  more 
loads  than  I can  carry ; at  the  same  time  articles  need- 
ful are  missing.  For  instance,  I left  Yambuya  with 
only  a short  campaigning  kit,  leaving  my  reserve  of 
clothing  and  personal  effects  in  charge  of  the  officers. 
In  December  some  of  the  deserters  from  the  advance 


562 


TERRIBLE  HARDSHIPS. 


column  reached  Yambuya  to  spread  the  report  that  I 
was  dead.  They  had  no  papers  with  them,  but  the 
officers  seemed  to  accept  the  report  of  these  deserters  as 
a fact,  and  in  January  Mr.  Ward,  at  an  officers’  mess- 
meeting,  proposed  that  my  instructions  should  be  can- 
celed. The  only  one  who  appears  to  have  dissented 
was  Mr.  Bonny.  Accordingly,  my  personal  kit,  medi- 
cines, soap,  candles,  and  provisions  were  sent  down  the 
Congo  as  ‘ superfluities  ’ ! Thus,  after  making  this  im- 
mense personal  sacrifice  to  relieve  them  and  cheer  them 
up,  I find  myself  naked  and  deprived  of  even  the  neces- 
saries of  life  in  Africa.  But,  strange  to  say,  they  have 
kept  two  hats  and  four  pairs  of  boots,  and  a flannel  jacket, 
and  I propose  to  go  back  to  Emin  with  this  truly 
African  kit.  Livingstone,  poor  fellow,  was  all  in 
patches  when  I met  him,  but  it  will  be  the  reliever  himself 
who  will  be  in  patches  this  time.  Fortunately,  not  one 
of  my  officers  will  envy  me,  for  their  kits  are  intact ; it 
was  only  myself  that  was  dead.” 

Particular  notice  should  be  taken  of  this,  for  out  of 
it  jealous  detractors  have  concocted  the  story  that 
Stanley  was  relieved  by  Emin,  not  Emin  by  Stanley. 
The  statements  above  refer  merely  to  Stanley’s  personal 
effects,  not  the  ammunition  and  stores  that  had  been 
brought  for  Emin.  The  latter  sorely  needed  the  aid 
Stanley  brought. 

The  rear  guard  had  been  almost  absolutely  at  the 
mercy  of  the  Arab  freebooters  and  the  fierce  Manyuema. 
Barttelot  and  his  associates  were  unable  to  excercise  any 
authority.  Paid  after  raid  was  made  on  the  natives  of  the 
vicinity;  and  at  one  time  the  Arabs  raided  a large  town 
directly  across  the  river  from  Barttelot’s  camp.  The  white 
men  looked  on,  helpless,  and  knowing  that  many  of  their 
own  force  were  taking  part  in  the  murderous  razzia. 


ARAB  RAW  ON  THE  ARUWUfI  OPPOSITE  YaMBUYA- 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 


THE  RETURN. 


'HE  condition  of  the  rearguard  was  certainly  dis- 
heartening. Out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
men  only  seventy-one  were  left,  and  ten  of  those 
were  past  help.  Over  seventy  per  cent  lost ! Out  of  the 
three  hundred  and  eighty-nine  with  which  Stanley  had 
started  forward,  fifty-nine  were  left  at  Fort  Bodo,  and 
one  hundred  and  thirty-one  returned  with  him  to  Yam- 
buya.  The  mortality  among  those  in  active  service  was 
less  than  among  those  in  garrison — little  more  than  fifty 
per  cent.  The  survivors  of  the  march  were  also  in  much 
better  condition. 

Disheartening  as  this  state  of  affairs  was,  much  the 
greatest  troubles  were  yet  to  come.  Stanley’s  letter  to 
Sir  William  McKinnon,  chairman  of  the  Emin  Belief 
Committee,  tells  the  story  of  what  followed.  Having 
reviewed  the  situation,  he  determined  to  set  out  at  once. 
Of  those  remaining,  he  says : “ I doubted  whether  fifty 

would  live  to  reach  the  lake;  but  having  collected  a 
large  number  of  canoes,  the  goods,  and  sick  men  were 
transported  in  these  vessels  in  such  a smooth  and  ex- 
peditious manner  that  there  were  remarkably  few 
casualties  in  the  rear  column.  But  wild  natives,  having 
repeatedly  defeated  Ugarrowwa’s  raiders  and  by  this  dis- 
covered the  extent  of  their  own  strength,  gave  consider- 
able trouble  and  inflicted  considerable  loss  among  our 

(564) 


THE  RETURN. 


565 


best  men,  who  had  always  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  fight- 
ing and  the  fatigue  of . paddling.  However,  we  had  no 
reason  to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  time  we  had  made. 
When  progress  by  river  became  too  tedious  and  difficult, 
an  order  to  cast  off  canoes  was  given.  This  was  four 
days’  journey  above  Ugarrowwa’s  Station,  or  about  three 
hundred  miles  above  Banalya.  We  decided  that  as  the 
south  bank  of  the  Itura  River  was  pretty  well  known  to 
us  it  would  be  best  to  try  the  north  bank,  although  we 
should  have  to  traverse  for  some  days  the  despoiled 
lands  which  had  been  a common  center  to  Ugarrowwa’s 
and  Kilonga  Longa’s  bands  of  raiders.  We  were  about  a 
hundred  miles  from  grassland,  which  opened  up  a pros- 
pect of  future  feasts  of  beef,  veal  and  mutton,  and  a 
pleasing  variety  of  vegetables,  as  well  as  oil  and  butter 
for  cooking. 

“ On  October  30,  having  cast  off  the  canoes,  the 
land  march  began  in  earnest,  and  we  two  days  later  dis- 
covered a large  plantation  in  charge  of  Dwaris.  The 
people  flung  themselves  on  the  plantains  to  make  as  large 
provision  as  possible  for  the  dreaded  wilderness  ahead. 
The  most  enterprising  secured  a fair  share,  and  twelve 
hours  later  were  furnished  with  a week’s  provision  of 
plantain  flour.  The  feeble  and  indolent  reveled  for  the 
time  being  on  an  abundance  of  roasted  fruit,  but 
neglected  providing  for  tne  future,  and  thus  became 
victims  to  famine  after  moving  from  this  place.  Ten 
days  passed  before  we  reached  another  plantation,  dur- 
ing which  we  lost  more  men  than  we  had  lost  between 
Banalya  and  Ugarrowwa’s.  Small-pox  broke  out  among 
the  Manyema  and  the  mortality  was  terrible.  Our 
Zanzibaris  escaped  the  pest,  however,  owing  to  the  vac- 
cination they  had  undergone  on  board  the  Madura.  We 
were  now  about  four  days’  march  above  the  confluence 


566 


THE  RETURN. 


of  the  Ihura  and  Ifcura  rivers,  and  within  about  a mile 
from  Ishuru.  As  there  was  no  possibility  of  crossing 
this  violent  tributary  of  the  Ituri  or  Aruwimi,  we  had  to 
follow  its  right  bank  until  a crossing  could  be  discovered. 
Four  days  later  we  stumbled  across  the  principal  village 
of  the  district,  called  Andikumu.  It  was  surrounded  by 
the  finest  plantation  of  bananas  and  plantains  we  had 
yet  seen,  which  all  the  Manyemas’  habit  of  spoliation 
and  destruction  had  been  unable  to  destroy . There  our  peo- 
ple, after  starving  during  fourteen  days,  gorged  themselves 
to  such  excess  that  it  contributed  greatly  to  lessen  our 
numbers.  Many  individuals  suffered  from  complaints 
which  entirely  incapacitated  them  for  duty. 

“ The  Ihuru  Eiver  was  about  four  miles  south-south- 
east  from  this  place,  flowing  from  east-northeast.  It 
was  about  sixty  yards  broad,  and  deep  owing  to  heavy 
rains.  From  Andikumu  six  days’  march  brought  us  to 
another  flourishing  settlement,  called  Indeman,  situated 
about  four  hours’  march  from  a river  supposed  to  be  the 
Ihuru.  Here  I was  considerably  nonplussed  by  a grievous 
discrepancy  between  native  accounts  and  my  own  ob- 
servations. The  natives  called  it  the  Ihuru  River,  and 
my  instruments  and  chronometer  made  it  very  evident 
it  could  not  be  the  Ihuru.  We  knew  finally.  After 
capturing  some  dwarfs  we  discovered  it  was  the  right 
branch  of  the  Ihuru,  called  the  Duru  River,  this  agree- 
ing with  my  own  views.  We  searched  and  found  a place 
where  we  could  build  a bridge  across.  Bonny  and  our 
Zanzibari  chiefs  threw  themselves  into  the  work,  and  in 
a few  hours  the  Duru  River  was  safely  bridged.  We 
passed  into  a district  entirely  unvisited  by  Manyema.” 

For  some  days  the  party  was  pertinaciously  dogged 
by  the  Wambutti,  a race  of  dwarfs  that  infest  this 
region.  They  were  uncommonly  cunning  and  trouble- 


THE  RETURN. 


567 


some.  Every  day  brought  the  party  into  collision 
with  them.  As  they  infested  the  northeast  route  chiefly, 
Stanley  abandoned  that  course  and  followed  elephant 
trails  to  the  southeast,  thus  escaping  the  pesky  man- 
hunters. 

These  troublesome  fellows  were  of  the  Akka  type. 
They  are  from  four  feet  to  four  feet  six  inches  in  height. 
Having  no  district  exclusively  their  own,  they  wander 
around  among  other  tribes,  pursuing  all  strangers 
merely  as  game.  There  are  no  such  hunters  as  they. 
Traps  and  nets  of  many  sorts  are  made  by  them. 
Stanley  had  many  of  his  people  lamed  by  sharp  skewers 
of  wood  set  in  holes  in  the  path,  and  covered  with 
leaves.  Elephants,  hippopotami,  buffalo  and  such 
animals  they  kill  by  means  of  stakes  hidden  in  pitfalls. 
On  a march  they  sleep  in  trees,  at  night,  like  monkeys. 
They  are  incorrigible  cannibals.  One  of  these  Akkas, 
in  Emin’s  employ,  left  him  because  tired  of  beef.  Emin 
had  no  man-meat  for  him.  These  pertinacious,  pep- 
pery, cunning  little  folk,  with  their  snares  and  poisoned 
weapons,  made  matters,  more  than  once,  appear  very 
grave  for  the  expedition. 

But  on  December  9th  the  party  found  the  provis- 
ions entirely  exhausted.  They  were  in  the  middle  of 
a vast  forest,  not  more  than  two  or  three  miles  from 
Ituri  River.  Halting  with  the  sick  and  with  a few 
able-bodied  men,  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  service- 
able were  sent  back  over  the  route  they  had  come,  to 
obtain  food  from  a village  some  fifteen  miles  in  the  rear. 
Some  of  the  Manyuema  followers  accompanied  them. 

Four  days  passed  without  uneasiness.  Stanley  was 
employed  in  correcting  observations  made  along  the 
route.  By  this  time  all  wondered  why  the  foragers  did 
not  return.  All  had  been  on  very  short  rations. 


568 


THE  RETURN. 


4 4 On  the  5th  day,  having  distributed  all  the  stock 
of  flour  in  camp,  and  having  killed  the  only  goat  we 
possessed,  I was  compelled  to  open  the  oflicers,  pro- 
vision box  and  take  a pound  pot  of  butter  with  two  cup- 
fuls of  my  flour  to  make  an  imitation  gruel,  there  be- 
ing nothing  else  save  tea,  coffee,  sugar,  and  a pot  of  sago 
in  the  boxes. 

44  In  the  afternoon  a boy  died,  and  the  condition 
of  the  majority  of  the  rest  was  most  disheartening. 
Some  could  not  stand,  falling  down  in  the  effort  to  do 
so.  These  constant  sights  acted  on  my  nerves  until  I 
began  to  feel  not  only  moral  but  physical  sympathy,  as 
though  the  weakness  was  contagious.  Before  night  a 
Madi  carrier  died.  The  last  of  our  Somalis  gave  signs 
of  a collapse,  and  the  few  Soudanese  with  us  were 
scarcely  able  to  move.  When  the  morning  of  the  sixth 
day  dawned  we  made  broth  of  the  usual  pot  of  butter, 
an  abundance  of  water,  a pot  of  condensed  milk  and  a 
cupful  of  flour,  for  150  people.  The  chiefs  and  Bonny 
were  called  to  a council.  At  my  suggesting  a reverse 
to  the  foragers  of  such  nature  as  to  exclude  our  men 
from  returning  with  news  of  the  disaster,  they  were  al- 
together unable  to  comprehend  such  a possibility. 
They  believed  it  possible  that  these  150  men  were 
searching  for  food,  without  which  they  would  not  return. 
They  were  asked  to  consider  the  supposition  that  they 
were  five  days  searching  for  food  without  which  they 
would  not  return,  and  then  had  lost  the  road,  perhaps; 
or  having  no  white  leader,  had  scattered  to  loot  goats, 
and  had  entirely  forgotten  their  starving  friends  and 
brothers  in  the  camp.  What  would  be  the  state  of  the 
130  people  five  days  hence?  Bonny  offered  to  stay 
with  ten  men  in  the  camp,  if  I would  provide  ten 
days’  food  for  each  person,  while  I would  set  out  to 


THE  RETURN. 


569 


search  for  the  missing  men.  Food  to  make  a light  cup 
ful  of  gruel  for  ten  men  for  ten  days  was  not  difficult  to 
procure,  but  the  pick  and  feeble  remaining  must  starve 
unless  I met  with  good  fortune ; and  accordingly  a store 
of  buttermilk,  flour  and  biscuits  was  prepared  and 
handed  over  to  the  charge  of  Bonny.  In  the  afternoon 
of  the  seventh  day  we  mustered  everybody  besides  the 
garrison  of  the  camp,  ten  men. 

“ Sadi,  a Manyuema  chief,  surrendered  fourteen  of 
his  men  to  their  doom.  Kibboboro,  another  chief, 
abandoned  his  brother,  and  Fundi,  another  Manyuema 
chief,  left  one  of  his  wives  and  her  little  boy.  We  left 
twenty-six  feeble  and  sick  wretches,  already  past  all 
hope  unless  food  could  be  brought  them  within  twenty- 
four  hours.  In  a cheery  tone,  though  my  heart  was 
never  heavier,  I told  the  forty-three  hunger-bitten  peo- 
ple that  I was  going  back  to  hunt  for  the  missing  men. 
We  traveled  nine  miles  that  afternoon,  having  passed 
several  dead  people  on  the  road,  and  early  on  the 
eighth  day  of  their  absence  from  camp,  ‘wo  met  the 
foragers  marching  in  an  easy  fashion.  But  when  we 
were  met  the  pace  was  altered,  so  that  in  twenty-six 
hours  from  leaving  Starvation  Camp,  we  were  back  with 
an  abundance  around  us  of  gruel  and  porridge,  boiling 
bananas,  boiling  plantains,  roasting  meat  and  simmer- 
ing soup.  This  had  been  my  nearest  approach  to  ab- 
solute starvation  in  all  my  African  experience.  Alto- 
gether twenty-one  persons  succumbed  in  this  dreadful 
camp/’ 

During  this  season  of  hardship  and  suffering,  the 
fortitude  and  nobility  of  the  Zanzibaris  were  shown 
even  more  strikingly  than  in  the  famous  passage  of  the 
Livingstone  Falls,  in  1877.  Little  complaint  was  heard 
from  them.  Pinched  with  hunger,  and  rapidly  losing 


570 


THE  RETURN. 


strength  and  hope,  they  roamed  the  forest  searching  for 
fungi,  berries,  or  anything  else  at  all  edible.  What  they 
could  find  they  brought  to  camp,  and  declined  to  eat 
till  the  whites  had  first  eaten.  Is  any  other  instance 
of  starving,  half-savage  men  so  doing  on  record  ? 

“On  December  17th  the  Ihuru  River  was  reached 
in  three  hours,  and  having  a presentiment  that  the  gar- 
rison of  Fort  Bodo  were  still  where  I left  them,  the  Ihuru 
was  crossed  the  next  day,  and  for  the  two  following  days 
we  steered  through  the  forest  regardless  of  paths.  We 
had  the  good  fortune  to  strike  the  western  angle  of  the 
Fort  Bodo  plantation  on  the  20th,  and  found  that  my 
presentiment  was  true.  Lieutenant  Stairs  and  the  gar- 
rison were  still  at  Fort  Bodo,  fifty-one  souls  remaining 
out  of  fifty-nine.  Not  a word  had  been  heard  of  Emin, 
or  of  Jephson,  during  the  seven  months  of  my  absence. 
Knowing  the  latter  to  be  an  energetic  man,  we  were  left 
to  conjecture  what  detained  Jephson,  even  if  the  affairs 
of  his  province  had  detained  Emin.” 

The  party  was  now  near  the  verge  of  the  great 
forest,  which  it  had  traversed  three  times ; the  grass- 
lands ahead  they  were  about  to  cross  for  the  fifth  time. 
The  great  forest  was  now  well  determined  to  be  as  large 
as  France  and  the  Iberian  peninsula.  So  dense  was  it 
that  in  many  places — nay,  most — a way  had  to  be  liter- 
ally tunneled  through  it. 

“On  December  23d  the  united  expedition  continued 
the  march  eastward,  and  as  we  now  had  to  work  by  re- 
lays, owing  to  the  fifty  extra  loads,  we  did  not  reach  the 
Ituri  ferry,  which  was  our  last  camp  in  the  forest  region 
before  emerging  on  the  grass  land,  until  January  9th. 
My  anxiety  about  Mr.  J ephson  and  Emin  would  not  per- 
mit me  to  dawdle  on  the  road,  making  double  trips  in 
this  manner ; so,  selecting  a rich  plantation  and  a good 


INTERVIEW  OF  BARTTELOT  AND  JAMESON  WITH  TIPPU-TIB. 


572 


THE  RETURN. 


camp  east  of  the  Ituri  river,  I left  Stairs  in  command, 
with  124  people,  including  Parke  and  Nelson,  and  on 
January  11th  I continued  my  march  eastward.  The  peo- 
ple of  the  plains,  fearing  a repetition  of  the  fighting  of 
December,  1887,  flocked  to  the  camp  as  we  advanced 
and  formally  tendered  their  submission,  agreeing  to  the 
contributions  and  supplies.  The  blood  of  brotherhood 
was  made,  the  exchange  of  gifts  was  made,  and  a firm 
friendship  was  established.  The  huts  of  our  camp  were 
constructed  by  natives,  and  food,  fuel  and  water 
were  brought  to  the  expedition  as  soon  as  a halting  place 
was  decided  on.  We  heard  no  news  of  white  men  on 
Lake  Albert  from  the  people  until  on  the  16th,  at  a 
place  called  Gevaris.  Messengers  from  Kavalli  came 
with  a packet  of  letters,  with  one  letter  written  on  three 
several  dates,  with  several  days’  interval  between,  from 
Jephson,  and  two  notes  from  Emin,  confirming  the  news 
in  Jephson’s  letter.” 

The  news  in  Jephson’s  letter  was  as  startling  as 
that  of  the  wreck  of  the  rear  guard,  which  had  occurred 
just  one  month  earlier  than  the  rebellion  of  which  the 
letters  brought  tidings. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


THE  REBELLION. 


'^j'EPHSON’S  letter  was  a warning  to  Stanley  and  an 
I appeal  for  any  assistance  he  could  render.  Sub- 
^ stantially  it  was  follows : 

“ On  August  18  a rebellion  broke  out  here,  and  the 
Pasha  and  I were  made  prisoners.  The  Pasha  is  a 
complete  prisoner,  but  I am  allowed  to  go  about  the 
station,  but  my  movements  are  watched.  The  rebellion 
has  been  got  up  by  some  half-dozen  Egyptians,  officers, 
and  clerks,  and  gradually  others  joined,  some  through  in- 
clination, but  most  through  fear.  The  soldiers,  with  the 
exception  of  those  at  Lahore,  have  never  taken  part  in 
it,  but  have  quietly  given  in  to  their  officers. 

“ When  the  Pasha  and  I were  on  our  way  to  Eegaf, 
two  men — one  an  officer,  Abdul  Yaal  Effendi,  and  the 
other  a clerk — went  about  and  told  the  people  they  had 
seen  you,  and  that  you  were  only  an  adventurer  and  had 
not  come  from  Egypt ; the  letters  you  brought  from  the 
Khedive  and  Nubar  were  forgeries ; that  it  was  untrue 
Khartoum  had  fallen,  and  that  the  Pasha  and  you  had 
made  a plot  to  take  them,  their  wives  and  children,  out 
of  the  country  and  hand  them  over  as  slaves  to  the  Eng- 
lish. Such  words  in  an  ignorant,  fanatical  country  like 
this  acted  like  fire  among  the  people,  and  the  result  was 
a general  rebellion,  and  we  were  made  prisoners.  The 

(573) 


574 


THE  REBELLION. 


rebels  then  collected  the  officers  from  the  different  sta- 
tions, and  held  a large  meeting  here  to  determine  what 
measures  they  should  take,  and  all  those  who  did  not 
join  the  movement  were  so  insulted  and  abused  that 
they  were  obliged  for  their  own  safety  to  acquiesce  in 
what  was  done.  The  Pasha  was  deposed,  and  those 
officers  suspected  of  being  friendly  to  him  were  removed 
from  their  posts,  and  those  friendly  to  the  rebels  were 
put  in  their  places.  It  was  decided  to  take  the  Pasha 
as  a prisoner  to  Regaf,  and  some  of  the  worst  rebels 
were  even  in  for  putting  him  in  irons,  but  the  officers 
were  afraid  to  put  their  plans  into  execution,  as  the  sol- 
diers said  they  never  would  permit  anyone  to  lay  a 
hand  on  him.  Plans  were  also  made  to  entrap  you 
when  you  returned,  and  strip  you  of  all  you  had. 
Things  were  in  this  condition,  when  we  were  startled  by 
the  news  that  "the  Mahdi’s  people  had  arrived  at  Lado 
with  three  steamers  and  nine  sandals  and  nuggers,  and 
had  established  themselves  on  the  site  of  the  old  station. 
Omar  Sali,  their  general,  sent  up  three  peacock  der- 
vishes with  a letter  to  the  Pasha,  demanding  the  instant 
surrender  of  the  country.” 

This  Omar  Sali  sent  letters  to  Emin  announcing 
that  two  of  his  colleagues,  Lupton  Bey  and  Slatin  Bey, 
had  become  Moslems,  and  were  high  in  authority  un- 
der the  Mahdi.  Emin  was  called  upon  to  do  likewise : 
‘‘Only  believe,  and  you  will  be  saved.  Refuse,  and  you 
will  be  hacked  to  pieces  in  this  world,  and  damned  in 
the  next.” 

This  was  only  a Mahdist  trick,  similar  to  that  per- 
petrated by  Osman  Digna.  Lupton  Bey  had  been  in 
command  in  the  Bahr  El  Ghazel  region.  His  men  had 
rapidly  deserted  him,  but  the  brave  man  held  out,  des- 
pite the  terrible  news  from  Hicks  Pasha.  In  his  last  notes 


THE  REBELLION. 


575 


to  Emin  he  said  no  one  could  know  what  he  had  en- 
dured ; but,  as  he  could  not  escape,  he  died  game.  Not 
a man  was  left  to  him.  He  is  another  of  the  long  list 
of  martyrs  for  the  cause  of  progress  in  Africa. 

But  the  rebellion  against  Emin  was  not  Mahdist  in 
spirit.  The  Egyptian  officers  seized  the  envoys,  tortured 
them  to  elicit  information,  and  then  beat  them  to  death 
with  clubs,  and  decided  upon  war.  “After  a few  days 
the  Mahdists  attacked  and  captured  Regaf,  killing  five 
officers  and  numbers  of  soldiers,  and  taking  many 
women  and  children  prisoners,  and  all  the  stores  and  am- 
munition in  the  station  were  lost.  The  result  of  this 
was  a general  stampede  of  the  people  from  the  stations 
of  Biddon,  Kirri,  and  Muggi,  who  fled  with  their  women 
and  children  to  Lahore,  abandoning  almost  everything. 

“At  Killi  the  ammunition  was  abandoned  and  was 
seized  by  natives.  The  Pasha  reckoned  that  the  Mah- 
dists numbered  about  1,500.  The  officers  and  a large 
number  of  soldiers  have  returned  to  Muggi,  and  intend 
making  a stand  against  the  Mahdists.  Our  position 
here  is  extremely  unpleasant,  for  since  the  rebellion  all 
is  chaos  and  confusion.  There  is  no  head,  and  half  a 
dozen  conflicting  orders  are  given  every  day,  and  no  one 
obeys.  The  rebel  officers  ar^  wholly  unable  to  control 
the  soldiers.  The  Baris  have  joined  the  Mahdists.  If 
they  come  down  here  with  a rush,  nothing  can  save  us. 
The  officers  are  all  frightened  at  what  has  taken  place, 
and  are  anxiously  awaiting  your  arrival,  and  desire  to 
leave  the  country  with  you,  for  they  are  now  really  per- 
suaded that  Khartoum  has  fallen  and  that  you  have 
come  from  the  Khedive.  We  are  like  rats  in  a trap. 
They  will  neither  let  us  act  nor  retire,  and  I fear  unless 
you  come  very  soon  you  will  be  too  late,  and  our  fate 


576 


THE  REBELLION. 


will  be  like  that  of  the  rest  of  the  garrisons  of  the  Sou- 
dan” 

Had  the  rebellion  not  happened,  Emin  could  per- 
haps have  held  the  Mahdists  in  check.  But  without  a 
strong  leader,  and  disagreeing  among  themselves,  the 
troops  of  Emin  were  not  effective.  What  they  might 
have  done  is  uncertain ; but  a sudden  repulse  by  the 
Mahdists  created  a diversion  in  Emin’s  favor.  The  sol- 
diers were  led  by  their  officers  to  attempt  to  retake  Re- 
gal, but  the  Mahdists  defended  it,  and  killed  six  officers 
and  a large  number  of  soldiers.  Among  the  officers 
killed  were  some  of  Emin’s  worst  enemies.  The  soldiers 
in  all  the  stations  were  so  panic-stricken  and  angry  that 
they  declared  they  would  not  fight  unless  Emin  were  lib- 
erated. The  officers  were  obliged  to  free  him,  and  sent 
him  to  Wadelai.  There  he  had  comparative  liberty,  but 
was  without  authority,  and  was  carefully  watched. 
Jephson  and  Emin  hoped  to  reach  Tanguru,  on  Lake 
Albert,  and  to  rejoin  Stanley  as  soon  as  he  arrived. 
The  position  was  precarious ; for  if  the  Mahdists  chose 
to  press  the  war,  the  doom  of  the  entire  garrison  was 
sealed.  But  the  Mahdists  waited  for  reinforcements 
from  Khartoum,  and  their  opportunity  passed.  That 
they  hail  some  idea  of  the  situation  is  manifest  from  the 
letter  of  Osman  Digna.  The  two  whites  who  were  said 
to  be  prisoners  were  Emin  and  Jephson.  That  far  his 
story  was  true.  So  at  the  very  time  when  the  civilized 
world  was  rejoicing  over  official  news  of  Stanley’s  safety, 
he  and  Emin  were  in  a more  dangerous  situation  than 
ever. 

Jephson  did  not  succeed  in  sending  off  the  letter 
and  postscript  at  first.  In  a second  postscript,  Decem- 
ber 18,  he  stated  that  he  and  Emin  had  failed  to  reach 
Tanguru  till  the  Egyptians  fled  from  the  Mahdi.  There 


BRITISH  AND  GERMAN  NAVAL  SQUADRONS  ESCORTING  STANLEY  TO  ZANZIBAR. 


578 


THE  REBELLION. 


had  been  further  hostilities : “ The  Mahdists  surrounded 
Dufile  Station  and  besieged  it  for  four  days.  The 
soldiers,  of  whom  there  are  about  five  hundred,  managed 
to  repulse  them  and  they  retired  to  Eegaf,  their  head- 
quarters. As  they  have  sent  down  to  Khartoum  for  re- 
inforcements, they  doubtless  will  attack  again  when 
strengthened.  In  our  flight  from  Wadelai,  the  officers 
requested  me  to  destroy  our  boats.  I therefore  broke 
them  up.  Dufile  is  being  renovated  as  fast  as  possible. 
The  Pasha  is  unable  to  move  hand  or  foot,  as  there  is 
still  a very  strong  party  against  him.  The  officers  are 
no  longer  in  immediate  fear  of  the  Mahdists.  Do  not 
on  any  account  come  down  to  us,  at  my  former  camp 
on  the  lake  near  Kavalli’s  Island,  but  make  your  camp 
at  Kavalli’s,  on  the  plateau  above.  Send  a letter 
directly  you  arrive  there,  and  as  soon  as  we  hear  of  your 
arrival  I will  come  to  you.  I will  not  disguise  from 
you  that  you  will  have  a difficult  and  dangerous 
work  before  you  in  dealing  with  the  Pasha’s  people.  I 
trust  you  will  arrive  before  the  Mahdists  are  reinforced, 
or  our  case  will  be  desperate.” 

The  somewhat  conflicting  contents  of  the  letter  and 
postscripts  puzzled  Stanley.  If  Emin  and  Jephson 
were  closely  watched,  he  could  not  see  why  they  ex- 
pected to  leave  Tanguru,  or  to  be  able  to  come  to  him. 
The  simple  facts  were  that  the  reverses  met  with  by  the 
garrison  immediately  after  Emin’s  deposition  had  divided 
the  Egyptians  to  such  extent  that  there  was  no  unani- 
mity of  action  among  them.  While  they  thus  were  at 
cross-purposes,  it  was  not  very  difficult  for  Emin  to 
march  off  with  a few  faithfuls,  while  yet  unable  to  re- 
establish absolute  authority. 

Two  notes  from  Emin  confirmed  the  news  in  Jeph- 
son’s  letter.  But  no  hint  was  given  as  to  Emin’s  ulti- 


THE  REBELLION. 


579 


mate  purpose.  Remembering  his  indecision  in  the  pre- 
ceding May,  Stanley  began  to  believe  that  only  Emin’s 
distrust  of  him  kept  him  from  action.  In  a letter  to 
Jephson  he  said,  “ I want  to  help  the  Pasha  somehow, 
but  he  must  also  help  me  and  credit  me.”  Further,  he 
was  ready  to  send  an  escort  for  Emin,  if  he  would  only 
come  at  once.  But  he  was  too  weary  to  personally  un- 
dertake the  descent  to  the  lake,  and  the  fatiguing  return. 
As  to  Jephson’s  warning,  he  said : " Don’t  be  alarmed 

or  uneasy  on  our  account.  Nothing  hostile  can  ap- 
proach us  within  twelve  miles  without  my  knowing  it. 
I am  in  the  thickest  of  a friendly  population,  and  if  I 
sound  a war  note,  within  four  hours  I can  have  two 
thousand  warriors  to  assist  me  to  repel  any  force  dis- 
posed to  violence ; and  if  it  is  to  be  a war,  why,  then  I 
am  ready  for  the  cunningest  Arab  alive.” 

Stanley  wrote  on  January  18th, to  Jephson : “ I could 
save  a dozen  pashas  if  they  were  willing  to  be  saved.  I 
would  go  on  my  knees  and  implore  the  Pasha  to  be 
sensible  of  his  own  case.  He  is  wise  enough  in  all 
things  else,  even  for  .his  own  interest.  Be  kind  and 
good  to  him  for  his  many  virtues,  but  do  not  you  be 
drawn  into  the  fatal  fascination  the  Soudan  territory 
seems  to  have  for  all  Europeans  in  late  years.  As  they 
touch  its  ground  they  seem  to  be  drawn  into  a whirlpool 
which  sucks  them  in  and  covers  them  with  its  waves. 
The  only  way  to  avoid  it  is  to  obey  blindly,  devotedly 
and  unquestioningly  all  orders  from  the  outside.  The 
committee  said : 4 Relieve  Emin  with  this  ammunition. 

If  he  wishes  to  come  out,  the  ammunition  will  enable  him 
to  do  so.  If  he  elects  to  stay  it  will  be  of  service  to 
him/ 

“The  Khedive  said  the  same  thing,  and  added  that 
if  the  Pasha  and  his  officers  wished  to  stay  they  could 


580 


THE  REBELLION. 


do  so  on  their  own  responsibility.  Sir  Evelyn  Baring 
said  the  same  thing  in  clear,  decided  words,  and  here  I 
am,  after  four  thousand  one  hundred  miles  travel,  with 
the  last  installment  of  relief.  Let  him  who  is  authorized 
to  take  it,  take  it  and  come ; I am  ready  to  lend  him  all 
my  strength  and  will  assist  him ; but  this  time  there 
must  be  no  hesitation,  but  positive  yea  or  nay,  and  home 
we  go.’, 

Stanley  had  misjudged  Emin.  February  6th  Jephson 
arrived  in  Stanley’s  camp,  and  said,  “ Sentiment  is  the 
Pasha’s  worst  enemy.”  That,  and  not  the  fascination 
of  the  Soudan,  or  a distrust  of  Stanley,  kept  Emin  back. 
Emin’s  letter  of  April,  1887,  shows  what  that  “ senti- 
ment ” was.  He  wrote : 

“The  work  that  Gordon  paid  for  with  his  blood  I 
will  strive  to  carry  on,  if  not  with  his  energy  and  genius, 
still  according  to  his  intention  and  in  his  spirit.  When 
my  lamented  chief  placed  the  government  of  this 
country  in  my  hands  he  wrote  me:  ‘I  appoint  you 

for  civilization  and  progress’  sake.’  I have  done  my 
best  to  justify  the  trust  he  had  in  me,  and  that  I have  to 
some  extent  been  successful  and  have  won  the  confi- 
dence of  the  natives  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  I and  my 
handful  of  people  have  held  our  own  up  to  the  present  in 
the  midst  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  natives.  I remain 
here  as  the  last  and  only  representative  of  Gordon’s 
staff.  It,  therefore,  falls  to  me,  and  is  my  bounden 
duty,  to  follow  up  the  road  he  showed.  Sooner  or  later 
a bright  future  must  dawn  for  these  countries ; sooner 
or  later  these  people  will  be  drawn  into  the  circle  of  the 
ever  advancing  civilized  world.  For  twelve  long  years 
have  I striven  and  toiled  and  sown  the  seeds  for  future 
harvest — laid  the  foundation  stones  for  future  buildings. 


THE  REBELLION. 


581 


Shall  I now  give  up  the  work  because  a way  may  soon 
open  to  the  coast  ? Never.” 

The  same  dauntless  spirit  and  devotion  to  his  work 
that  made  Livingstone  refuse  to  return  home  with  Stan- 
ley caused  Emin’s  perplexity.  The  rebellion,  which 
Stanley  thought  should  decide  Emin  to  leave  at  once, 
only  increased  the  difficulty. 

The  rumors  of  a strange  white  pasha  in  the  Bahr 
el  G-hazel  region  had  caused  much  uneasiness  among 
Emin’s  men  on  Stanley’s  first  approach.  His  errand 
was  a subject  of  unfavorable  speculation.  Fearing 
Emin  had  some  dishonorable  design  toward  them,  many 
officers  had  been  restive ; and  Emin  had  no  real  author- 
ity when  Stanley  arrived.  Otherwise,  he  would  not  have 
consented  to  abandon  the  region  at  all. 

On  Stanley’s  departure,  certain  officers  who  did  not 
like  to  leave  a land  where  they  lived  in  comparative 
peace  and  plenty,  and  knowing  they  could  not  hold  the 
fort  if  the  soldiery  left,  began  a systematic  misrepresen- 
tation of  Stanley  and  Emin.  Instead  of  aiding,  the  re- 
bellion hindered  Emin’s  decision. 

But  Emin  yielded  to  the  advice  of  others,  and  on 
February  13th  arrived  at  the  west  side  o'f  the  lake,  with 
two  steamers  carrying  a number  of  the  people  who 
wished  to  leave.  Twelve  officers  and  forty  soldiers,  who 
accompanied  him,  asked  for  time  to  bring  their  comrades 
from  Wadelai.  His  authority  was  at  last  re-established 
sufficiently  to  allow  him  some  control  of  the  men.  The 
two  steamers  returned  for  more  of  the  people. 

Meanwhile  Stanley  had  sent  orders  to  the  rear 
guard  to  mass  all  troops  ready  for  contingencies.  It 
proved  that  the  machinations  of  the  malcontents  had 
given  trouble  to  Nelson  and  Parkes.  There  seemed  a 


582 


THE  REBELLION. 


deep-laid  plot  to  wreck  the  entire  expedition.  But  for 
a time  its  leaders  could  not  be  located. 

February  17th  Emin,  with  his  chief  of  staff,  Selim 
Bey,  and  seven  officers  and  sixty-five  people,  arrived  in 
Stanley’s  camp.  Selim  had  attacked  the  Mahdists  at 
Duffile,  killing  250  of  them.  On  the  next  day  Stairs 
arrived  with  the  rear  column.  Selim  stated  in  a coun- 
cil held  this  day  that  he,  as  representative  of  the  Equa- 
torial troops,  requested  time  to  allow  them  to  assemble 
at  -Ravalli.  Of  which  Stanley  writes : 

“ I explained  through  Emin  Pasha  the  object  of  my 
expedition,  and  offered  them  a promise,  written  in  Arabic, 
to  wait  a reasouable  time  for  them  to  join  me.  The 
deputation  replied  that  my  offer  was  satisfactory.  They 
said  they  would  proceed  directly  to  Wadelai  and  pro- 
claim it  and  commence  the  work  of  transportation.  The 
deputation  started  for  Wadelai  on  the  26th.  Emin  re- 
turned on  the  27t.h  with  his  little  daughter  Ferida,  and 
a caravan  of  144  men.  He  and  I agreed  that  twenty 
days  was  a reasonable  time.  He  offered  a written  un- 
dertaking, which  I declined.  The  interval  was  occupied 
by  Surgeon  Parke  in  healing  our  sick.  So  devoted  and 
skillful  was  he  that  I was  able  on  April  1st  to  turn  out 
280  able-bodied  men,  whereas  in  February  it  would  have 
been  difficult  to  muster  200.” 

The  refugees  now  began  to  pour  in;  but  they 
brought  with  them  great  quantities  of  property,  which 
gave  Stanley’s  men  much  labor  to  transport  to  the  sum- 
mit of  the  plateau.  As  it  would  have  to  be  abandoned 
on  the  march,  it  was  mere  rubbish.  March  1st  he  or- 
dered this  work  stopped.  There  were  already  1,355 
loads  of  useless  plunder  in  the  camp.  March  26th  word 
was  received  from  Selim  announcing  that  rebels,  officers, 


584 


THE  REBELLION. 


and  everybody  were  unanimous  to  depart  for  Egypt 
under  Stanley’s  escort. 

Still  there  seemed  unwarrantable  delay.  The 
refugees  were  not  assembling  punctually.  Stanley 
called  a council  and  stated  the  features  of  the  case; 
warned  them  of  the  danger  of  trusting  the  rebels  im- 
plicitly, as  Emin  was  inclined  to  do,  when  they  had 
already  boasted  of  their  intention,  with  cajoling  words 
to  entrap  Stanley  and  strip  his  expedition.  Finally 
Stanley  asked  the  officers  whether  he  would  be  justified 
in  waiting  beyond  April  10.  Each  officer  replied  in  the 
negative. 

“There,  Pasha,”  said  Stanley;  “you  have  }Tour 
answer.  We  march  on  the  10th.”  Emin’s  conscience 
still  troubled  him,  and  Stanley  told  him  they  were  cer- 
tainly clear  of  blame  if,  as  the  officers  said,  April  10th 
allowed  time  enough.  Those  who  were  left  could  thank 
themselves.  And  they  had  plenty  of  food. 

But  by  the  5th  Emin  discovered  that  but  few  of  his 
10,000  men  would  leave.  Says  Stanley:  “ We  all  had 
our  eyes  opened;  it  was  a farce  on  the  part  of  the 
Wadelai  force.  It  was  clear  that  the  Pasha  no  longer 
had  authority.  Yet  Emin  was  obstinate  in  his  belief 
in  them.  * * * At  this  time  I discovered  conspira- 

cies in  the  camp.  The  Egytians  tried  to  steal  the  rifles 
of  the  Zanzibaris,  and  the  number  of  malcontents  kept 
increasing.  Emin  also  had  received  news  of  a bad 
state  of  things  at  Wadelai.  Therefore  I decided  upon 
immediate  action.  I formed  a square  of  rifles,  and  as- 
sembled all  the  Pasha’s  people  within  it.  Those  who 
refused  to  come  were  arrested  and  placed  in  irons,  and 
some  were  flogged.  All  denied  any  knowledge  of  a plot. 
I told  all  who  desired  to  accompany  me  to  stand  aside, 
and,  through  the  Pasha,  threatened  to  exterminate  them 


THE  REBELLION. 


586 


wholly  if  there  were  any  more  rebellious  tricks.  This 
muster  consisted  of  about  600  persons.  On  the  10th 
we  started,  numbering  about  1,500  persons,  including 
350  newly  enrolled  native  carriers.  On  the  12th  we 
camped  at  Mazamboni’s,  and  that  night  I was  struck 
down  with  a severe  illness,  which  wellnigh  proved  fatal. 
During  this  twenty-eight  days  Selim  had  plenty  of  time  to 
rejoin  us,  but  never  came,  and  the  only  additions  to  the 
camp  were  Snukari  Oga,  chief  of  the  Mswa  Station, 
and  one  servant,  ten  others  having  deserted  him  on  the 
way.  These  were  all  that  remained  of  the  garrison  of 
sixty,  reported  to  be  the  most  faithful  of  the  faithful. 
During  the  month  there  were  also  several  plots  mooted, 
only  one  of  which  was  realized.  The  ringleader,  a freed 
slave,  was  tried  by  court-martial  and  executed. 

“An  intercepted  letter  of  Selim  revealed  another 
plot  to  attack  the  expedition.  On  May  7 a letter  was 
received  from  Selim  containing  various  insolent  charges 
against  us,  and  an  appeal  to  wait  longer  for  them,  the 
rebels  having  again  robbed  them  of  all  their  am- 
munition. ” 

To  this  Stanley  replied,  offering  to  go  slowly,  so 
they  could  overtake  him.  But  Selim  wrote  no  more. 

Such  is  the  story  of  the  rebellion. 

As  anticipated,  when  left  to  themselves  the  rebels 
quarreled,  and  brought  upon  their  own  heads  the  evil 
they  designed  for  others.  Relying  upon  craft,  but  with- 
out control,  they  had  sought  to  ruin  the  expedition. 
But  traitors  within  camp  were  discovered,  and  those 
without  fell  foul  of  one  another  and  ruined  themselves. 
So  Providence  did  its  work. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


ESUMING-  the  march  on  May  8th,  Stanley  and 
I ^ Emin  adopted  a route  skirting  the  Balegga  Moun- 
tains,  forty  miles  from  the  Nyanza.  Arriving  at 
the  southern  end  of  the  mountains,  there  was  a success- 
ful encounter  with  the  King  of  Unyoro,  which  cleared  the 
route  as  far  as  the  Semliki  River.  The  ripening  grass  in 
this  valley  made  the  people  mistake  it,  at  a distance, 
for  a vast  lake.  This  at  length  explained  the  hitherto 
inexplicable  error  of  Baker,  who,  standing  near  the 
southern  end  of  the  lake,  records  that  he  saw  it  stretch- 
ing away  an  immense  distance  to  the  southwest.  Some 
of  Stanley  s officers  were  deceived  in  the  same  way. 
Far  to  the  southwest  was  found  a new  lake,  the  Albert 
Edward  Nyanza,  drained  by  the  Semliki  into  Lake  Albert. 
This  river  was  swift  and  narrow ; about  nine  feet  deep 
from  bank  to  bank,  and  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  yards 
wide.  It  carries  an  immense  amount  of  sediment.  The 
Warasura,  allies  of  the  Wanyoro,  endeavored  unsuc- 
cessfully to  dispute  the  passage  of  the  river. 

This  portion  of  the  homeward  route  lay  in  a new 
region ; and  in  the  discoveries  made  lie  the  chief  interest 
of  the  march.  There  were  occasional  brushes  with  the 
natives,  but  there  was  no  serious  obstacle  to  progress. 
The  long  talked  of  Mountains  of  the  Moon  are  now  defi- 
nitely located  along  the  east  side  of  the  Semliki.  The 

(586) 


HJOAMOYO.  OPPOSITE  ZANZIBAR.  WITH  ENCAMPMENT  OF  STANLEY'S  FOLLO] 


588 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


snow-capped  “ Cloud-King,”  Kuwenzori,  nearly  19,000 
feet  high,  was  partially  ascended.  “ It  took  nineteen 
marches  to  reach  the  southwest  angle  of  the  range. 
The  huts  of  the  natives  were  seen  at  an  altitude  of 
8,000  feet  above  the  sea.  All  the  officers  wanted  to 
climb  the  mountain,  but  were  not  in  condition  to  do  so. 
Emin  attained  the  height  of  1,000  feet  above  the  camp. 
Stairs  managed  to  climb  10,677  feet,  only  to  find  two 
deep  gulfs  between  him  and  the  snowy  summit.  He 
collected  a number  of  plants,  and  Emin  was  happy  in 
classifying  them.” 

Two  great  cones,  Gordon-Bennett  and  McKinnon, 
flank  the  higher  mountain.  The  Gordon-Bennett  moun- 
tain was  the  one  seen  by  Stanley  in  1876,  at  the  time 
of  his  futile  effort  to  reach  the  Lake  Muta  Nzige. 

“ On  the  southwest  of  the  range  the  connection  be- 
tween Albert  Edward  Nyanza  and  the  Albert  Nyanza 
has  been  discovered,  and  the  extent  of  the  former  lake 
is  now  known  for  the  first  time.  Kange  after  range  of 
mountains  has  been  traversed,  so  covered  by  such  tracts 
of  pasture  land  as  would  make  your  cowboys  out  West 
mad  with  envy. 

“ And  right  under  the  equator  we  have  fed  on 
blackberries  and  quenched  our  thirst  with  crystal  water 
fresh  from  snow  beds.  We  have  also  been  able  to  add 
nearly  6,000  square  miles  of  water  to  Victoria  Nyanza.” 

One  hundred  and  thirty-three  days  were  spent  by 
the  joint  force  in  the  region  between  the  Victoria  and 
the  Albert,  and  most  of  the  important  geographical  dis- 
coveries were  made  here.  The  assertion  of  Speke, 
made  many  years  ago,  has  been  well  borne  out;  ex- 
ceeded, in  fact.  He  estimated  the  Victoria  at  25,000 
square  miles.  Stanley’s  discovery  of  an  extension  to 
the  southwest,  hitherto  hidden  from  observation  from 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


589 


the  main  body  of  the  lake  by  large,  mountainous,  well 
peopled  islands,  increases  the  total  area  of  this  great 
fresh  water  sea  to  26,900  square  miles;  1,900  more 
than  Speke’s  estimate,  which  had  by  many  been  pro- 
nounced 5,000  miles  too  large.  And  the  Uriji  lake, 
which  Speke  had  lightly  sketched,  proved  to  be  a con- 
siderable body  of  water,  with  large  and  populous  is- 
lands. The  head  waters  of  the  southwest  branch  of  the 
White  Nile  prove  to  be  in  the  lofty  range  of  which  the 
snow-crested  Ruwenzori  is  the  highest  peak.  A num- 
ber of  not  inconsiderable  streams  rush  thence  into  the 
Albert  Edward  Nyanza,  which  is  drained  by  the  Sem- 
liki  River  into  the  Albert  Nyanza.  Thus  to  Emin  and 
Stanley  at  last  falls  the  honor  of  the  discovery  of  the 
remote  source  of  the  White  Nile.  And  the  discovered 
extension  of  the  Victoria  brings  that  lake  within  155 
miles  of  the  Tanganyika. 

The  Aruwimi  was  thoroughly  explored  in  the  re- 
peated journeys  that  had  been  made.  One  hundred 
miles  from  its  mouth  it  is  the  Suhali ; near  the  Nepoko 
junction  it  is  the  Nevoa  ; above  the  Nepoko  it  becomes 
the  No-Welle.  Three  hundred  miles  from  the  Congo  it 
is  called  the  Itiri,  which  is  soon  changed  into  the  Ituri, 
which  name  it  retains  to  its  source.  Ten  minutes’ 
march  from  the  Ituri  waters  may  be  seen  the  Nyanza, 
like  a mirror  in  its  immense  gulf. 

Hence,  in  this  great  upland  plateau  west  of  Lake 
Albert  is  the  watershed  line,  sending  the  Nile  northeast, 
and  the  Aruwimi  and  Congo  west. 

The  great  Congo  Forest  is  responsible  for  much  of 
the  Congo’s  volume.  Nine  months  of  the  year  the 
winds  sweep  the  vapors  of  the  South  Atlantic  into  this 
great  upland  plateau,  where  they  are  condensed  and 
fall  as  rain  for  about  150  days  in  each  year.  When, 


m 


HOME  WAR©  BOUND. 


in  addition  to  the  great  lakes  which  it  drains,  and  which 
are  fed  by  the  South  African  rains,  we  consider  the 
amount  of  moisture  thug  drained  from  a region  as 
large  as  France,  Spain,  and  Portugal  combined,  we 
shall  cease  to  wonder  at  the  volume  of  the  Congo. 

Stanley  considers  the  character  of  the  natives  to 
be  due  largely  to  the  depressing  effect  of  this  forest. 
Its  influence  on  his  own  men,  and  the  reaction  when 
they  reached  the  plains,  have  already  been  noticed.  So 
long  as  they  were  in  the  forest,  Stanley  says,  “ we  saw 
nothing  that  looked  like  a smile,  or  a kind  thought,  or  a 
moral  sensation.  The  aborigines  are  wild,  utterly  sav- 
age, and  incorrigibly  vindictive.  The  dwarfs — called 
Wambutti — -are  worse  still,  far  worse.  Animal  life  is 
likewise  so  wild  and  shy  that  no  sport  is  to  be  enjoyed. 
The  gloom  of  the  forest  is  perpetual.  The  face  of  the 
river,  reflecting  its  black  walls  of  vegetation,  is  dark 
and  somber.  The  sky  one-half  of  the  time  every  day 
resembles  a winter  sky  in  England;  the  face  of  Nature 
and  life  is  fixed  and  joyless.  If  the  sun  charges 
through  the  black  clouds  enveloping  it  and  a kindly 
wind  .brushes  the  masses  of  vapor  below  the  horizon, 
and  the  bright  light  reveals  our  surroundings,  it  is  only 
to  tantalize  us  with  a short-lived  vision  of  brilliancy 
and  beauty  of  verdure.” 

The  Albert  Nyanza  proves  to  be  falling,  as  the  Tan- 
ganyika rises.  A century  ago  it  must  have  been  twelve 
or  fifteen  miles  longer.  Islands  that  existed  seven  or 
eight  years  since  near  the  west  shore,  are  now  promon- 
tories. In  the  southwestern  portion  the  depth  is  but  a 
few  feet  when  a mile  and  a half  from  the  shore.  Ow- 
ing to  the  immense  quantity  of  silt  brought  down  by  the 
Semliki,  at  the  south  end,  a small  steamer  must  anchor 
five  miles  from  the  land.  The  slope  of  the  surrounding 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


591 


plain  at  this  part  is  one  foot  in  180.  At  no  very  remote 
period  it  must  have  lain  at  the  bottom  of  the  lake. 

Such  are  the  more  important  geographical  facts 
developed  by  the  expedition.  The  world  now  has  a 
better  knowledge  of  the  lake  region  of  Central  Africa 
than  ever  before.  Yet  there  is  much  more  to  belearned. 
There  are  native  reports  of  considerable  bodies  of  water 
in  the  lake  region  directly  to  the  west  of  that  portion  of 
the  Congo  flowing  between  Lake  Moero  and  Nyangwe. 
The  Lake  Kamolondo,  which  some  have  believed  to  be 
merely  the  sluggish  lacustrine  expansion  of  the  Congo  in 
this  region,  may  yet  prove  to  be  a lake  to  the  west, 
drained  by  a stream  flowing  northward  into  the  Congo. 
It  should  be  remembered  that  the  Congo  above  Nyangwe 
has  not  been  explored  by  Stanley,  and  that  Livingstone 
may  have  been  misinformed  on  this  point  by  the  na- 
tives. Hence  Kamolondo  is  yet  an  unsettled  problem,  as 
is  also  the  rumored  Lake  Landji,  still  farther  north.  It 
is  probable  that  the  latter  lies  in  course  of  Webb’s  Lu- 
alaba  Kiver,  and  that  the  junction  of  the  Luapula  and 
Lualaba  forms  the  Congo.  The  mouth  of  the  Lukuga, 
the  outlet  of  the  Tanganyika,  is  not  known.  The  ex- 
plorations of  Trivier,  the  French  explorer,  now  returning 
from  this  region,  may  have  settled  the  matter. 

It  is  beyond  dispute  that  the  lakes  of  Africa 
rival  in  total  area,  if  they  do  not  surpass,  those  of  our 
own  land.  The  Victoria  now  stands  the  second  largest  in 
the  world,  being  exceeded  only  by  Lake  Superior.  When 
we  consider  Lake  Tchad,  nearly  as  large,  and  the  Albert, 
Albert  Edward,  Tanganyika,  Bangweolo,  Moero  and 
Nyassa,  besides  other  reported  lakes  yet  unexplored,  it 
is  extremely  doubtful  if  our  American  lakes  can  remain 
at  the  head.  Certainly  they  can  no  longer  claim  three- 
fourths  of  all  the  fresh  water  on  the  globe. 


592 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


The  positions  of  the  African  lakes  are  peculiar.  Sit 
uated  in  a great  table-land,  most  lie  in  deep  clefts  or 
valleys,  while  the  Victoria  and  Nyassa  occupy  positions 
best  exemplified  by  an  inverted  saucer.  It  would  not  be 
difficult  to  dam  the  narrow  Nile  outlet  of  the  Victoria 
and  cause  it  to  flow  out  at  some  other  point. 

Important  as  are  the  geographical  results  of  this 
expedition,  they  are  surpassed  in  value  by  the  work 
done  by  numerous  other  explorers  in  the  same  period. 
On  returning  to  civilization,  Stanley  will  learn  of  as- 
tounding discoveries  made  in  the  past  three  years. 
Half  a dozen  men,  still  hardly  known  to  the  world, 
have  been  threading  the  complicated  waterways  of  the 
Congo  basin.  This  region,  half  as  large  as  the  United 
States,  was,  five  years  ago,  practically  unknown,  save 
for  a single  pathway  through  it— -the  Congo.  Stanley’s 
previous  work  had  been  merely  opening  the  gates  that 
others  might  enter.  When  he  published  his  last  volume 
we  hardly  knew  of  the  existence  of  the  largest  Congo 
tributary.  For  twenty  years  the  Welle  of  Schweinfurth, 
near  the  headwaters  of  the  Nile,  had  puzzled  geograph- 
ers, till  Stanley  concluded  it  must  be  the  Aruwimi. 
Just  as  the  world  was  accepting  this  decision,  Eev. 
Geo.  Grenfell,  who,  with  his  little  steamer,  the  Peace , 
has  made  his  way  into  so  many  new  regions,  on  leav- 
ing Leopoldville  to  explore  some  southern  feeders  of 
the  Upper  Congo,  made  the  astonishing  discovery  of  an 
immense  northern  Congo  tributary,  whose  mouth  had 
been  passed  a score  of  times  unseen.  It  is  hard  to  ob- 
tain a proper  conception  of  the  Congo.  Grenfell  was 
125  miles  up  this  affluent,  the  Mobangi,  ere  he  knew  he 
had  left  the  main  stream.  The  explanation  of  the  fact 
that  this  stream  so  long  passed  unnoticed  is  found  in 
the  immense  breadth  of  the  Congo,  and  its  numerous 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


593 


islands.  The  Emin  Eelief  Expedition,  with  its  fleet  of 
steamers,  passed  np  unseen  by  the  white  men  at  various 
stations.  The  Mobangi,  traced  up,  becomes  the  Makua ; 
the  Makua  is  the  Welle,  a stream  as  long  as  the  Volga, 
and  far  greater  in  volume.  On  the  south  side  of  the 
Congo,  Wissman,  traveling  west  from  the  Lake  region, 
launches  his  canoe  on  the  Lulua,  traces  it  the  Kassai, 
and  finds  the  latter  as  long  as  the  Danube,  and  in 
many  places  three  or  four  miles  wide.  For  weeks  after 
he  traced  the  Kassai  to  the  Congo  a steamer  with  sup- 
plies lay  250  miles  above,  supposing  the  rumored  Kassai 
must  reach  the  Congo  about  the  equator.  The  great 
Sankuru,  supposed  to  be  a tributary  of  the  Congo, 
empties  into  the  Kassai  400  miles  from  its  mouth. 
Junker’s  Nepoko  is  but  an  affluent  of  the  Aruwimi. 
Stanley’s  estimate  of  5,000  miles  of  waterway  above 
Stanley  Pool  was,  four  years  since,  ridiculed.  More 
than  7000  miles  have  already  been  explored.  Each 
month  brings  a succession  of  geographical  surprises. 
The  traveler  can  hardly  move  without  knocking  some 
pet  theory  in  the  head.  Wolf  steams  up  the  Sankuru 
to  within  130  miles  of  Nyangwe,  solving  the  question  of 
a direct  road  from  Leopoldville  to  Central  Africa.  Del- 
commune  enters  the  Lomami,  a fourth-rate  affluent  of 
the  Congo,  and  steamers  now  travel  from  Leopoldville 
to  within  sixty  miles  of  Nyangwe ; a distance  greater 
than  from  New  York  to  Omaha. 

But  stranger  still  are  the  remarkable  peoples 
discovered.  West  of  Lake  Bangweolo  is  a mountainous 
region  inhabited  by  cave-dwellers,  whom  no  chieftain  has 
ever  been  able  to  make  tributary.  In  the  same  district 
are  a powerful  tribe  whose  men  till  the  fields  and  dare 
not  face  their  wives  at  night  unless  they  have  brought 
home  a good  bundle  of  firewood — an  anomaly  among 


5 94 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


African  races.  North  of  these  a territory  as  large  as  tht 
State  of  Maine  is  peopled  by  the  cannibal  Batwa  dwarfs. 
To  the  west  of  these  dwell  a vast  race,  the  Balolo, 
numbering  millions;  a copper-colored  people  of  fine 
physique.  Thousands  of  them  live  in  huts  built  on 
piles  in  the  river,  after  the  fashion  of  the  ancient  Swiss 
lake-dwellers.  In  the  savannas  south  of  the  Congo  Forest, 
along  the  Sankuru,  Wissman  and  Kund  have  seen 
villages  ten  miles  long.  Among  the  Monbuttu  canni- 
bals, has  been  seen  an  audience  hall  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  long  and  fifty  feet  high.  Along  the  Lomami, 
Wolf  has  found  natives  living  in  huts  in  the  tree-tops. 
Along  the  Lulua,  Wissman  has  found  a great  people 
who  have  discarded  fetishism,  and  cut  down  the  palms 
that  no  wine  may  be  made:  radical  prohibitionists. 
Formerly  cannibals,  these  people,  the  Baluba,  have  dis- 
carded the  practice,  and  now  abhor  it.  Keen  and  intel- 
ligent, they  anxiously  question  the  white  men  on 
metaphysical  subjects.  Woman  has  a high  place 
among  them.  In  the  region  two  hundred  miles  west  of 
Lake  Bangweolo  are  mountains  in  which  dwell  a race  of 
cave-dwellers.  Their  underground  city,  a perfect  laby- 
rinth of  artificial  excavations,  affords  them  a retreat 
where  their  enemies  dare  not  follow  them.  Their  most 
powerful  neighbors  have  not  been  able  to  subdue  these 
timid  folk,  not  daring  to  follow  them  into  the  winding 
retreats  where  they  dwell  and  house  their  herds  and 
store  their  grain. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Grant  was  told  twenty-six 
years  ago  of  these  people.  No  one  believed  the  native 
reports.  So  no  one  believed  the  Arab  tales  of  the 
dwarfs : yet  Aristotle  and  Herodotus  wrote  of  the  dwarfs. 
Sallust  writes  of  people  who  prize  copper  and  despise 
gold.  These  and  a score  of  similar  things  long  con- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


595 


sidered  myths,  our  boasted  civilization  now  verifies. 
There  is  no  new  thing  under  the  sun. 

Such  are  the  salient  points  of  the  past  three  years’ 
work.  Details  cannot  now  be  given.  Many  energetic 
men  are  at  work,  but  they  have  had  little  time  to  give 
their  notes  to  the  public.  Most  that  is  made  known 
must  be  dug  from  a mass  of  official  reports  of  the  Congo 
State.  Already  railways  are  being  built  in  the  Congo 
State.  No  one  dare  predict  what  the  next  few  years 
may  bring  forth.  Africa  is  verily  a land  of  wonders. 

The  main  events  of  Stanley’s  last  expedition  have 
been  given  in  brief.  Yet  it  must  stand  as  the  most  re- 
markable of  all  of  his  journeys.  “The  bare  catalogue 
of  incidents  would  fill  several  quires  of  foolscap ; the 
catalogue  of  skirmishes  would  be  of  respectable  length ; 
the  catalogue  of  adventures,  accidents,  mortalities,  suffer- 
ings from  fever,  morbid  musings  over  mischances, 
would  fill  a volume.” 

Considering  the  unprecedented  difficulties,  and  the 
remarkable  coincidences,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that 
Stanley  believes  a special  providence  guarded  the  ex- 
pedition. 

Certain  coincidences  are  truly  remarkable.  August, 
1887,  sees  Jephson  leading  the  advance  of  333  picked 
men  into  the  forest,  where  they  lose  their  way  and  wander 
about  six  days  ere  the  scouts  of  Stanley  find  them.  At 
the  same  time  disaster  overtakes  the  rear  guard. 

Take  August,  1888 ; and  as  Stanley  arrives  at  Bun- 
alya  and  sees  with  horror  the  fearful  condition  of  the 
few  survivors  of  that  charnel-house  and  hears  of  the  in- 
famous murder  of  poor  Barttelot  a month  before,  Jamie- 
son, 600  miles  away  to  the  west,  worn  out  by  fever,  fatigue 
and  disappointment,  obtaining  no  help  from  Tippu-Tib, 
lies  down  in  the  desolate  wilds  to  die ; and  the  next  day 


m 


HOMEWARD  ROUND. 


*©e»  Jephson  and  Emin,  hundreds  of  miles  away  to  the 
east,  surrounded  by  infuriate  rebels  with  loaded  rifles. 
Why  were  they  not  killed  ? Why  did  Stairs,  wounded 
below  the  heart  by  a poisoned  arrow,  live  when  others 
so  wounded  died  ? Stanley  well  says  that  these  strange 
escapes,  and  the  peculiar  fortitude  and  firmness  shown 
by  his  dusky  followers  evince  the  control  of  a higher 
power  than  luck  or  man. 

The  homeward  route  from  the  Victoria  region  was 
by  way  of  Simbamwenni,  the  road  partially  traversed  by 
Stanley  in  1871.  No  new  discoveries  of  importance 
were  made  toward  the  sea- coast.  There  were  continual 
brushes  with  the  natives : for  the  Arabs  had  fomented 
dissensions  among  them,  and  the  German  and  Por- 
tuguese schemes  in  East  Africa  had  created  much  un- 
easiness, and  all  whites  were  viewed  with  suspicion. 
Grave  fears  for  the  safety  of  Emin  were  occasioned  in 
November  by  the  report  that  Dr.  Peters,  a German  ex- 
plorer, and  his  party,  had  been  massacred  by  the  Soma- 
lis. But  this  was  a false  alarm.  Still  the  way  was  not 
strewn  with  roses.  Stanley  writes : “In  North  Usuku- 
ma,  south  of  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  we  had  as  stirring 
a time  for  four  days  as  anywhere  on  our  route.  There 
was  a continuous  fighting  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  daylight  hours.  The  foolish  natives  took  an  unac- 
countable prejudice  against  Emin’s  people.  They  in- 
sisted that  they  were  cannibals,  and  had  come  for  no 
good  purpose.  Talking  was  useless,  as  an  attempt  to 
disprove  their  impression  only  drove  them  into  a white 
heat  rage,  and  in  their  mad  hate  flinging  themselves  on 
us,  they  suffered  severely.  Losses  by  battle  were  few, 
but  numbers  died  of  fever.” 

Many  seemed  to  die  from  the  sudden  reaction,  or 
cessation  of  exertion,  just  as  Stanley’s  Zanzibaris  did  in 


FIGHTING  IN  NORTH  USUKUMA. 


598 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


1877.  Stanley  wrote  to  the  British  consul  at  Zanzibar: 
“ Every  previous  expedition  has  seen  the  lightening  of 
its  labors  upon  nearing  the  sea.  But  the  long  string  of 
hammock-bearers  with  us  now  tell  a different  tale.  Till 
we  can  place  the  poor  things  in  our  company  on  ship- 
board, there  will  be  no  rest  P us.  The  worst  of  it  is 
that  we  have  not  the  privilege  of  showing  you  at  Zanzi- 
bar the  full  extent  of  our  labors.  After  carrying  some 
of  them  1,000  miles,  and  fighting  to  the  right  and  left 
of  the  sick,  driving  the  Warasura  from  their  prey  over 
range  after  range  of  mountains,  with  every  energy  on 
full  strain,  they  slip  through  our  hands  and  die'  in  their 
hammocks.  One  lady,  seventy-five  years  old,  mother  of 
Vakiel,  died  in  this  manner.” 

The  fact  is,  the  experience  of  all  African  travelers 
goes  to  prove  that  the  only  safety  lies  in  constant  activ- 
ity. Fred  Barker,  on  Stanley’s  second  trip,  died  simply 
of  stagnation.  Stanley  was  seldom  liable  to  fever  when 
on  the  march.  His  attacks  usually  occurred  during  tem- 
porary halts.  Had  Barttelot’s  company  been  in  more 
active  service,  the  mortality  would  have  been  far  less. 
The  experience  of  Taylor’s  missionaries  proves  the  same 
thing.  The  climate  of  the  west  coast  produces  a drow- 
siness, to  yield  to  which  is  usually  fatal.  The  Fan  can- 
nibals have  a proverb,  “ Day -sleep  makes  the  eyes  sore.” 
“ Bishop  Taylor’s  Liver  Regulator  ” consists  of  a flat 
plate  of  steel,  fastened  at  right  angles  to  a wooden  shaft, 
and  used  vigorously  two  or  three  hours  each  day  in  the 
destruction  of  weeds.  His  patients  enjoy  excellent 
health. 

As  the  party  neared  the  coast,  Lieutenant  Wiss- 
man,  the  noted  German  explorer,  was  sent  with  a small 
force  to  welcome  them  and  carry  some  supplies.  On 
arriving  at  Zanzibar,  the  travelers  were  enthusiastically 


BOMEWAHD  BOUNB. 


590 


welcomed  by  representatives  of  various  nationalities. 
The  great  task  was  completed.  After  settling  the  affairs 
of  the  expedition  at  Zanzibar,  Stanley,  on  December 
30th,  sailed  for  Egypt  to  report  to  the  Khedive. 

The  joy  of  the  civilized  world  was  for  a moment 
overclouded.  December  ~th,  Emin,  who  is  near-sighted, 
fell  from  a balcony  at  Bagamoyo  and  was  injured, — it 
was  at  first  thought  fatally.  But  careful  attention  is 
restoring  his  health.  He  now  enters  the  service  of  the 
German  government,  and  will  doubtless  play  a promin- 
ent part  in  the  colonization  of  East  Africa.  It  would 
Have  been  a strange  fatality  had  he  died  at  Bagamoyo, 
after  safely  braving  the  perils  of  Africa  so  long.  The 
world  has  need  of  such  men. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


UMAN1TY  has  its  tigers : conquerors  who  build 
I p their  pyramids  of  fame  of  grinning  skulls  and 
bleaching  bones;  of  shattered  armor  and  bleed- 
ing corses;  of  the  tears  of  the  orphan  and  the  moans 
of  the  widowed  and  childless;  and  who,  seated  enthroned 
on  the  ghastly  heap,  receive  the  adulation  of  multitudes 
crying,  “ The  Great ! ” Ay,  the  Great  in  sin  ! 

Detestable  as  are  those  who  for  momentary  fame,  or 
through  a spirit  of  revenge,  have  plunged  millions  into 
conflict  in  which  they  had  nothing  to  gain,  they  who 
through  petty  jealousy  of  their  neighbors  retard  the  pro- 
gress of  humanity  are  viler  still.  More  loathsome  than 
either  are  they  who,  having  accomplished  naught  them- 
selves, besmirch  and  belittle  the  good  deeds  of  others. 
“ Wrath  is  cruel ; anger  is  outrageous ; but  who  can 
stand  before  envy  ? ” 

The  deeds  of  false  friends  and  the  sayings  of  critics 
must  have  more  than  passing  notice. 

National  jealousy  has  played  a leading  part  in  the 
last  great  drama.  It  is  beyond  dispute  that  the  wreck- 
ing of  the  rear  guard  was  the  work  of  Tippu-Tib.  The 
mere  circumstantial  evidence  is  of  the  strongest  charcter. 
Why  was  it  that  more  than  a year  after  Stanley  left 
Yambuya,  many  of  the  600  carriers  contracted  for  had 
not  been  sent?  Why  did  Ugarrowwa  and  his  raiders 

(600) 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


601 


devastate  those  districts  through  which  Stanley  in- 
tended to  go,  and  which  no  Arab  ever  visited  before  ? 
Was  the  terrible  fatality  at  Yambuya — seventy-five  per 
cent  in  one  year — the  result  of  malaria,  or,  as  some 
believe,  is  it  to  be  partially  accounted  for  by  slow  poison  ? 
Who  fomented  trouble  with  the  natives  ? 

Such  are  the  questions  which  suggested  themselves 
to  the  civilized  world.  Stanley’s  almost  absolute  silence 
concerning  the  Arab  was  also  an  ominous  fact.  The 
world  watched  anxiously  for  a statement  from  him. 

In  finishing  the  business  of  the  expedition  at  Zanzi- 
bar, the  Belief  Committee  brought  a suit  for  damages 
against  Tippu-Tib  before  the  consular  court.  The  tes- 
timony of  Stanley  and  Bonny  confirmed  the  gravest 
suspicions  of  the  committee.  They  testified  that  Tip- 
pu-Tib broke^  his  contract  with  a view  of  obtaining  all 
the  stores  and  ammunition  belonging  to  the  expedition, 
and  that  Tippu-Tib’s  nephew  executed  some  natives 
who  were  trying  to  revictual  the  expedition,  thus  caus- 
ing the  high  rate  of  mortality  among  Stanley’s  followers. 
They  further  asserted  that  the  430  Manyema  porters 
whom  he  did  supply  were  sent  with  the  secret  under- 
standing that  they  should  desert  the  expedition  when 
entangled  in  the  forest ; thus  the  ruin  of  the  party 
would  have  been  inevitable.  In  this  the  Arab  was  dis- 
appointed. And  when,  after  long  delay,  the  carriers 
were  furnished,  he  continually,  upon  one  pretext  or  an- 
other, delayed  the  start ; sometimes  asserting  the  loads 
were  too  heavy;  again,  passing  without  objection  loads 
lie  had  the  same  day  condemned.  The  old  fellow  was  a 
greater  rascal  than  even  the  wary  Stanley  had  suspected. 

The  reason  of  Tippu-Tib’s  treachery  is  apparent. 
It  is  the  same  spirit  that  was  shown  continually  toward 
Baker,  Livingstone  and  others  by  the  Arabs.  The 


602 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


Arab  controls  the  slave  trade ; English  supremacy  in 
Africa  means  its  abolition.  Emin  was  the  last  repre- 
sentative of  civilized  government;  Stanley  the  most 
active  of  living  explorers.  Could  these  be  overthrown, 
the  slave-trade  might  long  flourish  unmolested. 

Tippu-Tib  not  being  amenable  to  the  authority  of 
any  nation  concerned  in  the  expedition,  the  only  pro- 
ceedings against  him  could  be  for  breach  of  contract. 
Even  such  are  of  doubtful  policy.  He  is  autocrat  of  a 
country  not  represented  in  any  consular  court.  Only  a 
liberal  bonus  can  restrain  him ; and  even  then  he  may, 
as  he  has  already  done,  play  the  open  friend  and  secret 
foe. 

Stanley  endeavors  as  far  as  possible  to  remove  any 
discredit  that  has  attached  to  Barttelot.  He  says  that 
Barttelot  only  needed,  to  extricate  himself  from  his  di- 
lemma, qualities  that  will  not  be  gained  save  by  long- 
experience  in  Africa,  and  eulogizes  his  courage  and  high 
qualities.  He  knew  the  Major  was  a man  of  little  for- 
bearance and  had  intended  to  keep  him  with  himself, 
but  necessity  compelled  the  change  that  caused  him  to 
leave  him  behind.  Barttelot  was  ignorant  of  the  lan- 
guage of  the  people,  and  his  interpreter  may  have 
been  false  and  occasioned  the  coolness  between  the  men 
and  the  Major,  which  was  never  overcome  and  led  to  his 
death.  Such  a trick  is  common  with  African  interpreters ; 
should  the  lingster  have  a grudge  against  either  the 
traveler  or  the  natives,  trouble  is  almost  inevitable. 

It  is  certainly  remarkable  that  the  murder  of  Bart- 
telot and  the  revolt  against  Emin  occurred  so  nearly 
at  the  same  time ; but  it  does  not  appear  that  the  revolt 
can  be  fairly  attributed  to  the  schemes  of  the  Arab. 
Otherwise,  Emin  would  surely  have  been  slain.  It 
seems  merely  due  to  the  disinclination  of  the  troops  to 


r-TIB’S  CANOES  ON  THE  CONGO. 


604 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


leave  the  land  they  had  occupied  for  years,  and  where 
they  were,  in  a manner,  settled.  They  were  disturbed 
at  the  first  rumor  of  Stanley’s  approach,  and  had 
obeyed  Emin  protestingly  thenceforth.  If  the  final  out- 
break resulting  from  this  was  the  work  of  Tippu-Tib,  his 
only  means  of  bringing  it  about  was  by  misrepresenta- 
tion of  Stanley’s  purpose.  They  were  not  in  sympathy 
with  the  Arab,  nor  yet  with  the  Mahdi. 

It  is  but  fair  to  say  that  Sir  William  McKinnon 
asserts  that  the  rebellion  was  due  to  the  machinations 
of  the  Arab.  As  McKinnon  is  chairman  of  the  Relief 
Committee,  it  is  supposed  he  has  official  information 
that  justifies  his  belief.  Yet  this  may  be  only  undue 
fear  of  Arab  influence. 

Whether  the  Arab  planned  the  mischief  or  not,  it 
has  been  accomplished.  The  founded  civilization  has 
been  destroyed.  The  lukewarm,  halting  methods  of 
England  and  Egypt  have  been  ended  in  disaster.  Let 
us  hope  that  Stanley’s  work  has  but  begun ; that  he  and 
Emin  will  yet  plant  firmly  the  standard  of  civilization  and 
progress  amidst  the  benighted  dwellers  in  the  Dark 
Continent. 

National  jealousy  has  played  its  part  also  in  the  civil- 
ized world.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  jealousy  of  other 
European  powers,  England  would  certainly  have  adopted 
a far  more  vigorous  policy  in  the  Soudan. 

As  this  is  being  written,  Portugal  is  contending 
with  England  for  larger  territory  in  the  Zambesi  basin; 
Germany  has  its  grasp  upon  rich  possessions  in  the 
east  of  the  continent,  while  France  seizes  the  Lower 
Congo,  and  Italy  strives  for  Abyssinia  and  the  Somali 
region. 

But  jealousy  in  this  respect  the  world  condones, 
for  it  proceeds  from  national  enterprise.  The  most 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


605 


despicable  form  of  national  jealousy  appears  m the 
utterances  of  great  journals. 

When  Stanley  relieved  Livingstone,  there  was  wide- 
spread dissatisfaction  among  a certain  class  of  English- 
men. They  were  nettled  that  an  American  should 
succeed,  where  others  had  not  ventured ; that  he  should 
relieve  an  Englishman  and  return,  ere  the  tardy  Eng- 
lish expedition  had  fairly  started.  On  all  sides  he  was 
attacked.  Many  pronounced  his  entire  narrative  a 
fabrication,  and  asserted  he  had  only  been  a few  miles 
into  the  interior  on  a hunting  trip.  They  did  him 
tardy  justice,  when  Livingstone’s  notes  were  published. 

And  a similar  spirit  is  manifested  by  not  a few  en- 
vious souls  since  his  success  upon  this  expedition. 
Certain  newspaper  critics  are  alleging  that  it  is  a very 
suspicious  circumstance  that  Stanley  always  comes  back 
safe  from  expeditions  that  prove  so  fatal  to  his  white 
companions.  Such  insinuations  are  but  the  work  of 
cowrards  who  dare  not  assert  openly  what  they  mean, 
viz.,  that  Stanley  assigns  positions  of  unusual  danger  to 
his  assistants,  or  covertly  abets  their  assassination  by 
the  natives.  That  such  allegations  are  unworthy  of 
notice,  save  as  showing  the  baseness  of  envy,  goes  with- 
out saying.  Yet  they  have  a sting  for  a high-spirited 
soul  like  Stanley’s,  and  he  justly  complains  of  the 
unfair  manner  in  which  a large  portion  of  the  secular 
press  has  treated  him. 

French  journalists  have  asserted  that  bitter  hatred 
existed  between  Emin  and  Stanley;  that  the  latter 
despised  the  former,  and  that  Emin  considered  himself 
unwarrantably  interfered  with. 

Nothing  in  the  correspondence  bears  out  the  asser- 
tion. That  Stanley  for  a time  seemed  to  misunderstand 
Emin’s  hesitancy  is  apparent ; that  it  was  a mistake  to 


NATIONAL  JEALQU8IHS. 


600 

bring  out  Emin,  and  that  the  rebellion  was  caused 
thereby,  not  a few  believe.  More  than  this  can  hardly 
be  proven.  The  Hamletic  irresolution  of  Emin  worried 
the  prompt,  decisive  American.  He  considered  that  it 
caused  an  otherwise  unnecessary  journey  of  1,300  miles 
to  bring  up  Barttelot’s  detachment.  But  that  there  is 
personal  enmity  in  consequence  does  not  appear,  even 
by  careful  reading  between  the  lines.  It  seems  merely 
the  frank  criticism  of  friend  upon  friend. 

At  first  the  petty  flings  of  Le  Temps  and  other 
French  journals  were  believed  to  be  due  to  French 
hatred  of  the  German ; that  the  gibes  had  Emin  for 
their  ultimate  object.  But  later  developments  show  a 
decided  hatred  of  Stanley.  Burdo,  a French  African 
explorer,  says: 

“ Stanley  is  the  man  who  said  at  Manchester: 
‘ Our  enemy  is  France.’  Stanley  is  the-  man  who  jeered 
at  the  ragged  clothes  and  naked  feet  of  De  Brazza.  It 
was  Stanley  who,  only  the  other  day,  on  reaching  the 
coast,  rejoiced  that  the  first  man  he  met  was  a German. 
With  his  blustering  obtrusiveness  he  rescued  people  who 
never  asked  to  be  rescued.  It  is  unquestionably  Stanley 
who  has  caused  the  loss  of  the  Soudan  to  civilization. 
In  short,  I regard  Stanley  as  emphatically  a dangerous 
man,  and  the  enemy  of  all  Frenchmen.  Other  nations 
have  accused  France  of  not  possessing  the  genius  of 
colonization;  but  what  are  the  facts?  What  flag  to-day 
floats  over  the  most  eastern  African  possessions  ? What 
flag  in  Africa  is  the  most  respected  alike  by  negro  and 
Arab  ? It  is  the  tricolor,  and  wherever  that  flag  waves 
— in  Algiers,  in  Tunis,  in  Senegal,  in  the  Eastern  Sou- 
dan, and  on  the  Congo — you  will  find  peace  and 
stability,  and  this  while  England  is  struggling  against 
the  Mahdi  on  the  Nile,  while  Italy  is  exhausting  her 


HOISTING  THE  BRITISH  FLAG  IN  THE  ZAM  REGION. 


608  NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 

strength  in  Abyssinia,  and  while  Germany  is  undone  by 
a handful  of-  negroes  in  Usagara.  France  is  the  only 
European  nation  which  the  Mussulman,  if  he  does  not 
love,  at  least  tolerates.  It  is  a splendid  tribute  to  our 
colonizing  methods  to  have  gained  that  point. 

“ What,  then,  are  those  colonizing  methods?  Sim- 
ply that  wherever  we  have  established  ourselves  among 
African  populations,  we  have  done  so  not  by  violence 
and  brutality,  but  by  kindness,  by  fair  dealing,  and  by 
patient  effort.” 

All  this  is  misrepresentation  and  buncombe ; Stanley 
is  anything  but  blustering  and  obstrusive.  He  did  not 
plan  the  expedition  to  relieve  Emin.  In  bringing  him 
out  he  did  what  was  best,  in  view  of  Emin’s  condition 
and  his  own  orders.  The  Khedive  had  said,  if  Emin 
stayed  it  would  be  on  his  own  responsibility.  That  is, 
Egypt  meant  to  abandon  the  Soudan. 

The  allusion  to  Stanley’s  rejoicing  that  a German 
met  him  is  only  another  amusing  instance  of  French 
“ Teutonophobia.”  As  already  stated,  the  commander 
of  the  party  that  went  out  to  meet  Stanley  was  Wiss- 
man,  the  only  German  who  has  twice  crossed  the  Afri- 
can continent.  The  two  great  travelers  are  mutually 
appreciative  of  what  each  has  accomplished,  and  Stan- 
ley would  naturally  feel  pleased  that  the  nation  which 
is  founding  a great  East  African  colony  should  send  a 
representative  to  welcome  him.  No  hatred  of  France 
would  be  implied  in  his  so  saying.  Doubtless  he  would 
have  been  rejoiced  had  Pinto  and  a company  of  Portu- 
guese, or  some  noted  French  explorer,  also  met  him. 

Stanley’s  remark  at  Manchester,  “ Our  enemy  is 
France,”  alludes  to  the  fact  that  France  was  slow  to 
recognize  the  Congo  State,  and  is  in  fact  occupying  the 
Lower  Congo  that  it  may  command  the  approaches  to 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


609 


tli*  new  empire.  Such  an  act  is  construed  to  be  practi- 
cally, if  not  intentionally,  inimical  to  the  interests  of  the 
Congo  State.  If  the  fact  be  discreditable,  the  stating  of 
it  is  not.  Stanley  is  not  a man  to  needlessly  criticise 
national  policy,  or  gibe  at  the  hardships  of  his  comrades 
in  exploration. 

The  insinuation  that  Stanley  has,  or  that  other 
nations  have,  been  more  brutal  in  their  methods  than 
the  French,  is  not  justified  by  facts.  How  long  was 
France  in  securing  a firm  foothold  in  Algiers  ? What 
of  her  late  unjustifiable  aggressions  in  Madagascar? 
What  of  her  seizure  of  Tahiti,  whose  independence  had 
been  respected  by  other  civilized  nations  ? It  is  need- 
less to  multiply  instances. 

The  defect  in  the  policy  of  most  European  nations 
in  Africa  has  been  at  the  other  extreme.  Stanley’s  nar- 
rative shows  a score  of  occasions  when  most  civilized 
men  would  have  justified  a more  vigorous  policy.  Gor- 
don, so  noted  for  the  successful  character  of  his  work, 
pronounced  the  occupation  of  the  Soudan  a failure. 
Baker,  Thompson,  Prout  and  others  well  qualified  by  ex- 
perience, have  not  hesitated  to  confirm  this  opinion. 
And  all  have  agreed  as  to  the  defect  in  the  work.  For 
centuries  controlled  only  by  force,  and  dealing  with  all 
only  upon  the  principle  that  “ the  strongest  rules/’  the 
Central  African  mistakes  forbearance  and  magnanimity 
for  cowardice  and  treachery.  He  must  at  the  outset  be 
made  to  understand  who  is  master.  Kindness  he 
understands,  but  forgiveness  he  is  prone  to  misinterpret. 

The  reader  may  think  undue  attention  is  given  to 
the  spirit  and  the  criticisms  of  the  French  public,  but 
as  they  involve  not  only  personalities,  but  also  national 
questions,  they  call  for  thoughtful  consideration. 

Some  German  journalists  have  complained  that 


610 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES, 


Stanley  has  received  too  much  attention,  and  that  there 
has  not  been  proper  interest  in  Emin.  The  charge  is 
not  well  founded.  It  was  for  Emin’s  sake  that  the  ex- 
pedition was  projected;  and  the  interest  in  Stanley  was 
merely  concern  for  his  final  success.  All  felt  that  in  him 
was  Emin’s  only  hope.  If  he  could  not  reach  Emin,  it 
was  hardly  probable  that  another  could.  The  surface 
current  of  sentiment  might  set  toward  Stanley,  but  the 
motive  power  was,  would  Emin  be  saved  ? 

It  is  pleasing  to  know  that  those  by  whom  the  expe- 
dition was  sent  fully  appreciate  the  services  rendered, 
and  that  those  who  were  anxious  for  Emin’s  safety  show 
no  bitterness  toward  the  great  American.  William, 
Emperor  of  Germany,  has  expressed  his  thanks  for  the 
accomplishment  of  the  task.  Queen  Victoria  has  sent 
congratulatory  messages,  and  confers  two  honorary 
crosses  upon  him.  Humbert,  of  Italy,  has  presented 
medals  of  honor.  Leopold,  of  Belgium,  is  a warmer  ad- 
mirer than  ever.  The  President  of  the  United  States 
has  sent  congratulations.  The  foreign  residents  of  Zan- 
zibar have  presented  the  explorer  with  a silver  casket 
containing  a memorial  tribute.  Medals,  badges  and 
crosses  are  his.  The  American  residents  of  London  pre- 
sented him  with  a silver  shield,  with  beautifully  wrought 
designs  showing  scenes  in  the  great  traveler’s  life.  The 
Khedive  of  Egypt  has  feted,  feasted,  and  honored  him. 
London  has  given  him  the  freedom  of  the  city.  And 
throughout  the  civilized  world  all  fair-minded  people 
agree  the  intrepid  veteran  has  well  earned  all  the  honors 
conferred  upon  him. 

That  he  is  above  narrowness  is  shown  by  his  ap- 
preciation of  the  great  man  by  whom  he  was  inspired  with 
loftier  motives  and  a disinterested  desire  to  benefit  the 
human  race.  The  touching  pathos  of  his  grief  for  hi»  com- 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


611 


panion  Pocock  reveals  a character  above  petty  jealousies, 
and  incapable  of  despising  one  who  had  accomplished  so 
much  for  the  Soudan  as  the  devoted  Edward  Schnitzer. 
In  a recent  speech  at  Zanzibar  he  has  reaffirmed  that  he 
owed  all  to  the  noble  Livingstone.  What  he  has  said 
is  in  substance  given  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  volume. 

And  again  he  has  stated  that  he  believed  Livings- 
tone’s mantle  had  fallen  upon  him,  and  that  his  life- 
work  was  but  begun.  This  is  not  a vainglorious  boast. 
Stanley  is  a man  of  intense  earnestness,  and  of  firm 
faith  in  providence;  one  who  carefully  notes  all  the 
strange  vicissitudes  of  his  career,  and  attributes  noth- 
ing to  luck.  And  he  says  such  a thing  not  through 
conceit,  but  because  he  earnestly  believes  it. 

Stanley  is  yet  strong  and  vigorous,  and  the  world 
believes,  with  him,  that  much  of  the  best  work  of  his 
life  is  yet  to  be  done ; work  for  which  all  that  he  has 
hitherto  accomplished  has  been  preparatory.  The  next 
few  years  will  see  railways  projected  and  built  into 
many  portions  of  the  interior;  and  though  Stanley  is 
not  a civil  engineer,  he  knows  the  land  as  no  one  else 
does,  and  none  can  cope  with  native  superstition  and 
prejudice  so  readily  as* he.  The  railway  in  India  has 
proved  the  great  destroyer  of  caste;  and  the  railway 
and  steamer  will  be  the  greatest  foes  of  superstition  in 
Africa,  and  will  afford  the  only  means  of  permanently 
crushing  the  slave-trade.  The  Arab  is  swayed  only  by 
mercenary  motives.  Make  it  possible  for  him  to  trans- 
port other  merchandise  to  the  coast  at  a better  profit 
than  he  can  slaves,  nnd  the  slave  traffic  is  ended. 

Stanley’s  labors  and  hardships  have  not  failed  to 
leave  their  impress  upon  him.  Though  he  has  seem- 
ingly a constitution  of  iron,  a frame  hardened  by  con- 
tinual attacks  of  fever*  an  eye  that  would  guell  a mob,- 


612 


NATIONAL  JEALOUSIES. 


and  an  indomitable  will  and  energy  that  have  been  but 
strengthened  by  the  continual  demands  upon  them,  yet 
he  appears  permaturely  old.  While  not  yet  fifty  years 
of  age,  his  hair  is  perfectly  white,  his  face  is  deeply 
seamed  and  lined,  his  whole  appearance  showing  that 
he  has  endured  countless  struggles  and  hardships. 

Ethiopia  is  stretching  out  her  hands  unto  God. 
The  sighs  of  countless  millions  have  ascended  for  cen- 
turies from  her  accursed  soil.  The  blood  of  myriads 
cries  out  from  the  ground.  A thousand  desolate  villages 
send  up  their  mute  appeal ; ten  thousand  ruined  homes 
bespeak  the  day  of  vengeance.  But  the  morn  cometh 
The  watchmen  point  out  its  faint  gleams  from  afar. 
The  hour  of  reclamation  is  at  hand.  The  work  may  be 
done ; it  must  be  done ; it  will  be  done : For  Africa  is 

TO  BE  REDEEMED  ! 

And  Stanley  shall  lead  the  work. 

Yet  Livingstone  and  Gordon  are  not  of  the  past. 
They  march,  like  the  Cid,  in  the  van  of  the  victory. 
Their  deeds  are  an  ever-present  inspiration,  and  their 
unselfish  devotion  yet  nerves  the  arm  of  Christian 
progress  in  its  battle  for  humanity.  Thus  shall  it  ever 
be. 

As  for  the  brave  German  who  for  years  held  his 
post  in  the  face  of  hostility,  mutiny,  starvation,  and 
sickness,  his  Mohammedan  patron  has  best  honored  him. 
Already  Edward  Schnitzer  is  half  forgotten.  But  so 
long  as  Africa  stands  ; so  long  as  gratitude  is ; so  long 
as  courage  and  devotion  to  duty  shall  be  honored;  so 
long  as  the  memory  of  the  slave-trade  shall  exist,  and 
the  deeds  of  Livingstone,  Baker,  and  Stanley  be  cher- 
ished, so  long  shall  the  martyred  Gordon’s  brave 
lieutenant  live  in  the  hearts  of  men  as  Emin,  the 
Faithful,  , 


ADDENDA 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

MAY  12  1933 

UNIVERSITY  UF  - ' 


the  late  major  e.  m.  barttelot, 

■—  O.  - — 


ADDENDA.* 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


EIEF  MENTION  has  been  made  in  another  part 
of  this  volume  ( q . v.  page  559-64)  of  the  deaths 
of  Major  Barttelot  and  Captain  «fameson,  together 
with  the  loss  of  the  greater  portion  of  ohe  men  left  with 
them  at  Yambuya  (page  538).  It  will  be  remembered 
that  upon  Stanley’s  return  after  finding  Emin  Bey,  he 
met  the  rear  column  of  his  expedition  on  August  17  at 
a place  called  Bunalya,  then  under  command  of  Bonny. 
He  then  learned  for  the  first  time  of  the  terrible  fate 
that  had  befallen  Barttelot  and  his  men.  For  many 
weeks  it  has  been  a disputed  point  as  to  the  causes 
which  culminated  in  this  great  disaster,  and  an  acrimo- 
nious and  heated  controversy  has  raged  between  the 
friends  of  the  slain  on  the  one  side  and  Mr.  Stanley  on 
the  other.  The  newspaper  press  in  both  Europe  and 
America  have  freely  opened  their  columns  to  the  dis- 
putants, and,  as  voicing  the  popular  feeling  of  all  Chris- 
tendom, have  demanded  to  know  both  sides  of  the  case. 
At  the  same  time  there  has  been  no  disposition  on  their 
part  to  slight  Mr.  Stanley  nor  permit  envious  detractions 
to  injure  his  fame,  but  rather  that  the  more  decisively 


•Copyrighted  by  L.  T.  Palmer,  1891. 


616 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


these  matters  are  settled  in  the  beginning,  the  better  for 
the  parties  interested,  in  having  the  popular  mind  free 
from  misapprehension. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  it  is  owing  to  the  quarrels 
of  the  officers  ol  the  rear-guard,  and  to  a feeling  among 
them  of  hostility  to  Stanley,  that  the  stories  of  incredible 
infamies  and  monstrous  atrocities  has  been  made  public, 
of  which,  in  the  record  of  explorations,  there  is  found  no 
parallel.  Had  envy,  jealousy  and  insubordination  not 
dissevered  the  relations  that  existed  between  the  officers 
when  the  expedition  set  out,  the  world  would  probably 
have  rested  in  ignorance  of  the  hideous  inhumanity,  as 
told  by  Troup,  the  revelation  of  which  has  so  shocked 
civilization.  But  for  that  dissatisfaction,  Stanley’s  pub- 
lished account,  however  stated,  would  have  been  ac- 
cepted by  the  public  as  the  complete  and  specific 
chronicle  of  the  good  and  evil  things  attending  the 
seeking,  the  finding  and  the  rescue  of  Emin  Bey. 

The  Barttelot,  Jameson  and  Troup  sensation,  the 
supplemental  explanation  made  by  Bonny  and  Farran, 
the  criticisms  of  Ward  and  Mr.  Stanley’s  own  statement 
and  charges,  all  bearing  upon  the  disastrous  fate  of  the 
rear-guard,  have  excited  the  public  mind  to  a dreadful 
apprehension  that  the  half  has  not  been  told.  The 
bitter  attacks  made  upon  Mr.  Stanley  are  given  as  near 
as  possible  in  the  language  of  the  parties  making 
them. 

Herbert  Ward  in  a letter  to  the  London  Times  says : 
“With  every  desire  to  be  loyal  to  Mr.  Stanley,  it  is  im- 
possible for  me  longer  to  remain  silent.  Mr.  Stanley 
has  raised  all  the  side  issues  of  the  J ameson-Barttelot 
stories  and  other  matters  in  order  to  evade  the  main 
controversy.  He  may  or  he  may  not  be  a scrupulous 
man,  but  he  is  undoubtedly  a bold  and  far-seeing  one. 


618  THE  CHAKGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 

It  would  appear,  therefore,  in  charging  the  rear-guard 
officers  with  irresolution  and  disregard  of  instructions, 
he  feared  he  might  one  day  have  to  answer  a charge  for 
which  he  himself  was  responsible,  so  he  collected  all  the 
little  tattle  of  tale-bearers  and  attacked  his  subordi- 
nates.” 

After  stating  that  Stanley’s  column  was  not  above 
reproach,  and  that  he  himself  had  buried  dead  men 
Stanley  left  in  the  road,  he  asks : Why  Stanley  left  inex- 
perienced officers  in  charge  of  the  rear,  knowing  that 
they  could  only  carry  out  his  orders  and  drive  the  load 
bearers  with  the  greatest  severity.  Why  had  he  ap- 
pointed Barttelot,  whom  he  disliked  as  much  as  Bartte* 
lot  disliked  him,  and  whom  he  knew  was  unsuitable  for 
the  work,  to  a position  of  momentous  responsibility  at 
the  supreme  crisis  of  the  expedition  ? What  must  be  the 
thought  of  Stanley  turning  his  back  on  Yambuya,  assur- 
ing Barttelot  he  has  made  a wise  choice,  and  selecting 
him  to  guard  the  interests  of  the  expedition  during  his 
absence  ? 

Mr.  Ward  declares  that  with  all  his  acknowledged 
faults,  Barttelot,  with  splendid  loyalty  to  the  best  tra- 
ditions of  his  services,  held  sacred  every  instruction  of 
Stanley’s  to  the  last.  In  the  face  of  starvation  he  re- 
fused to  open  the  stores  Stanley  had  warned  him  were 
essential  to  the  success  of  the  expedition,  yet  Stanley 
accused  him  of  disloyalty.  Says  Mr.  Ward:  “There 
was  no  reason  to  refuse  us  food  and  medicine  but  his 
stolid  sense  of  discipline.  To  have  taken  the  law  in  our 
own  hands  would  assuredly  have ' led  to  bloodshed. 
Stanley  must  take  a portion  of  the  blame.  By  his 
example  on  the  march  up,  he  initiated  among  the  mem- 
bers of  his  staff  the  feeling  of  indifference  to  human 
saffering,  and  among  the  load-bearers  a fatalistic  accept- 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


619 


ance  of  their  lot  as  mere  beasts  of  burden.  By  appoint- 
ing Barttelot,  under  the  circumstances,  he  deliberately 
risked  disaster,  to  use  no  stronger  word,  by  vague  in- 
structions%  He  placed  Barttelot  in  a position  of  bewild- 
ering alternatives.  By  an  alleged  agreement  with  Tippoo 
Tib,  he  put  Barttelot  more  or  less  at  the  Arab’s  mercy 
and  left  him  abandoned.  By  publishing  the  affidavits 
of  a negro  valet  he  demerits  dead  men.  He  can  answer 
for  himself  whether  he  should  not  bear  some  of  the 
responsibility  for  the  disaster  which  befell  the  rear- 
guard.” 

In  Mr.  Ward’s  book,  “Five  Years  With  the  Congo 
Cannibals,”  published  previous  to  the  above  statement, 
speaking  of  the  rear-guard  he  says:  “Unfortunately 
there  are  conflicting  opinions  upon  the  action  of  the 
rear-guard.  No  doubt  Mr.  Stanley  suffered  a great 
shock  upon  learning  the  sad  tale  of  Yambuya  with  its 
hundred  graves,  but  in  ‘Darkest  Africa’  he  takes  much 
too  harsh  a view  of  a portion  of  his  expedition  that  en- 
dured great  hardships  while  doing  their  best.  Of  the 
five  officers  two  lost  their  lives  in  his  service,  and  a third 
contracted  illnesses  from  which  it  is  doubtful  whether 
he  will  ever  recover.” 

On  Nov.  2,  1890,  Jameson’s  brother  wrote  to  the 
London  Times,  asking  its  assistance  in  prevailing  upon 
Stanley  to  pursue  an  honorable  course  by  publishing  the 
whole  of  his  case  against  the  rear-guard  instead  of 
waiting  until  everything  has  been  said  from  the  other 
side.  His  present  course,  the  writer  says,  gives  Stanley 
the  advantage  of  representing  a case  for  dead  men  to 
answer.  Had  they  been  living,  Stanley  would  have 
been  compelled  to  substantiate  his  insinuations  in  a 
court  of  law ; but  now  there  AO  a*  ^ Jjpeal  except  to  the 
bar  of  public  opinion.  The  writer  adds : “I  have  had 


620 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


too  sad  an  experience  of  his  consideration  for  others  to 
risk  an  appeal  to  it.” 

On  Nov.  18,  1890,  The  London  Times  published 

a portion  of  the  log  of  the  rear-guard,  the  record  show- 
ing that  the  natives  continued  to  desert,  and  on  June 
24,  Barttelot  started  to  see  Tippoo  Tib  about  the  matter, 
leaving  Bonny  in  command.  Before  his  departure 
Barttelot  deprived  the  Zanzibaris  of  their  rifles  and  em- 
powered Bonny  to  punish  any  attempt  at  mutiny  with 
death.  He  also  instructed  Bonny  to  hand  the  command 
over  to  Jameson  when  the  latter  arrived.  Jameson  as- 
sumed command  on  June  30.  The  remainder  of  the 
log  to  July  21  is  merely  a daily  record  of  the  various 
stages  of  their  progress  to  Unaria,  ending  with  Jame- 
son’s receiving  a letter  from  Bonny  announcing  Bart- 
telot’s  death  and  urging  Jameson  to  join  Bonny  as 
quickly  as  possible  at  Bunalya. 

Mr.  Quilter,  editor  of  the  Universal  Review , of 
Nov.  18,  1890,  in  that  publication,  says : He  is  es- 
pecially informed  that  Jameson’s  diary  and  private  let- 
ters were  placed  in  a box  by  Bonny  after  Jameson’s 
death,  and  that  the  box,  after  being  sealed  up  by  Bonny, 
was  confided  to  Stanley.  Instead  of  forwarding  the  box 
to  Jameson’s  family,  Stanley  broke  the  seals,  opened  the 
box,  and  retained  the  papers  in  his  possession,  only  part- 
ing with  them  after  repeated  applications,  including  a 
letter  from  a lawyer  acting  for  Jameson’s  family.  The 
family  commenced  legal  proceedings,  whereupon  Stanley 
delivered  the  papers  to  the  care  of  the  Ottoman  Bank, 
from  which  they  were  received  by  the  family.  Stanley 
made  extracts  from  the  diary  before  handing  it  over  to 
the  Ottoman  Bank.  Mr.  Quilter  traces  the  origin  of  the 
stories  against  Barttelot  and  Jameson  to  Bonny,  who,  he 
says,  acted  as  tale-bearer  in  general  to  the  camp.  Btan- 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY.  621 

ley,  he  declares,  would  never  have  dared  to  make  such 
statements  unless  he  had  been  assured  that  Bonny 
would  confirm  them.  Bonny,  he  says,  was  the  paid  ser- 
vant of  Stanley. 

Lieut.  Troup  on  Nov.  8,  1890,  said  to  a 
Boston  Herald  reporter:  “Mr.  Stanley  now  specifies 

several  acts  of  cruelty  said  to  have  been  reported  to  him. 
Only  two  of  these  occurred  during  my  residence  in  Yam- 
buya  camp,  from  Aug.  14,  1887,  to  June  8,  1888. 
These  were  the  shooting  of  a Soudanese  soldier  for  de- 
serting and  stealing  a rifle  and  ammunition,  and  the 
flogging  of  the  interpreter,  John  Henry.  The  former 
of  these  events  has  been  inaccurately  stated  by  Mr.  Stan- 
ley. The  man  was  executed  after  a court-martial  of  all  the 
officers  had  sat  upon  the  case.  I voted  against  it,  but 
the  majority  condemned  him.  In  regard  to  the  flogging  of 
John  Henry,  this  occurred  while  I was  in  my  bed,  where  I 
\^as  laid  up  with  a serious  illness  for  six  weeks.  At 
that  time  I was  unable  to  do  active  duty,  so  was  not 
consulted  concerning  the  punishment,  and  was  not  pres- 
ent when  it  was  inflicted.  Mr.  Stanley  is  reported  to 
have  said : ‘There  is  the  log  book  as  it  was  given  to  me, 

with,  day  after  day,  the  accounts  of  the  horrible  punish- 
ments. The  records  are  signed  by  all  the  officers/  In 
denial  of  this  I assert  that  while  in  Y ambuya  camp 
there  never  was  any  log  book,  neither  was  there  any 
document  containing  a record  of  cruelties  or  other  acts 
signed  by  me.  I never  heard  of  any  such  thing  and  Mr. 
Stanley  can  produce  no  signature  of  mine  to  such  book 
or  document.  Mr.  Stanley’s  insinuation  that  I was  influ- 
enced by  Major  Barttelot’s  family  not  to  disclose  the 
affairs  of  Yambuya  is  utterly  false.  I have  had  but 
one  interview,  and  that  was  with  Captain  Barttelot,  who 
called  at  my  hotel  just  after  I arrived  in  Englando  Mr. 


622 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY* 


Stanley's  representative,  Sir  F.  De  Winton,  was  also 
present.  Mr.  Stanley  knows  the  truth  of  this,  and  yet 
makes  the  above  insinuation,  which  I deny,  it  being  as 
untrue  as  many  other  things  Mr.  Stanley  is  reported  as 
saying.  The  only  other  communication  with  the  fami- 
ly I had  was  when  I wrote  to  ask  for  a photograph  of 
the  Major  for  my  book.  As  regards  the  other  petty  de- 
tails of  personal  matter,  many  of  which  are  entirely  in- 
accurate, I do  not  desire  to  enter  into  any  controversy, 
but  would  refer  Mr.  Stanley  to  the  statements  in  the 
preface  of  my  book.  I have  delayed  my  departure  for 
England  in  order  to  hear  what  further  charges  Mr. 
Stanley  has  to  make  against  me ; but,  instead  of  bring- 
ing any  forward,  he  retracts  almost  all  his  former  re- 
marks against  me  except  those  I now  deny.  As  far  as 
I am  concerned  the  controversy  should  close  now,  as 
Mr.  Stanley  has  failed  to  bring  forward  any  proof  that  I 
acted  contrary  to  his  written  instructions.” 

In  an  editorial  on  November  8,  the  Pall  Mall  Gazette 
says:  “Stanley's  charges  against Barttelot  and  Jameson 
can  not  be  allowed  to  rest,  especially  as  Stanley  him- 
self has  denied  his  own  statements  in  advance.  In  the 
letter  dated  August  31,  and  published  December  21,  he 
declared  that  the  horrible  statements  in  connection 
with  Barttelot  and  Jameson  were  simply  inconceivable 
nonsense  and  sensational  canards.  In  the  face  of  his 
own  emphatic  denial  he  is  bound  to  produce  every 
scrap  of  proof  that  he  can  to  sustain  the  charge  he  now 
makes.” 

On  the  same  day  Mrs.  Jameson  said  that  Mr. 
Stanley’s  charges  against  her  dead  husband  are  based 
on  the  statement  of  a dismissed  Syrian  interpreter,  who 
came  to  England  and  was  examined  by  the  Emin  relief 
committee.  During  his  examination,  Mrs.  Jameson 


THE  LATE  MR.  J.  S.  JAMESON. 


624 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


says,  the  interpreter  contradicted  his  previous  state- 
ment. Mrs.  Jameson  further  says  that  her  husband 
wrote  a letter  to  the  Emin  relief  committee  in  which  he 
gave  important  information  respecting  the  interpreter’s 
charges  and  their  source.  This  letter,  she  says,  will  be 
published  in  due  time. 

On  November  15,  Mrs.  Jameson  writes  to  the  news- 
papers as  follows:  “As  the  Emin  relief  committee 
appears  to  consider  that  the  duty  of  refutation  devolves 
upon  me,  I ask  the  papers  to  insert  the  following  letter 
from  my  husband,  who  died  a fortnight  after  writing  it, 
and  who,  therefore,  was  unable  to  take  the  further  steps 
which  he  intended  to  clear  his  character.” 

Jameson’s  letter  is  addressed  to  Sir  William  Macki- 
non  and  is  dated  Stanley  Falls,  Aug.  3,  1888.  After 
describing  Assad  Farran’s  statements  as  false  and  cruel 
Jameson  writes : 

“Upon  arrival  at  Ribaruba  the  chief  invited  me  to 
his  residence,  wdiere  I witnessed  a curious  native  dance 
following  other  ceremonies,  which  Tippoo  said  was 
usually  followed  by  a cannibal  feast.  I laughed  skepti- 
cally, whereupon  another  Arab  described  a horrible  story. 
I flatly  declared  that  it  was  impossible  that  this  could 
happen.  The  Arab  retorted  “Give  me  a bit  of  cloth 
and  see.”  I thought  this  a mere  ruse  to  obtain  a gift, 
but  the  Arab  had  formerly  been  kind,  so  I gave  him  my 
handkerchief.  Then  followed  the  most  horrible  scene  I 
ever  witnessed  in  my  life.  The  whole  thing  happened 
so  quickly  that  it  was  impossible  to  make  sketches  had 
I wished  to  do  so.  Furthermore  I had  nothing  to  sketch 
with.  The  small  sketches  I made  were  done  in  the 
evening  at  my  own  house.  The  girl  never  looked  for 
help.  She  seemed  to  know  it  was  her  fate,  she  never 
stirred  hand,  foot  or  head.  How  the  girl  was  obtained 


MR.  J.  ROSE  TROUP, 


626 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


I do  not  yet  know,  but  wiil  send  you  all  the  particulars, 
signed  by  witnesses,  as  promised.” 

Then  follows  the  statement  that  Assad  boasted  of 
swindling  the  British  Government  in  the  purchase  of 
camels  at  Suakim,  where  he  also  made  money  by  divid- 
ing with  policemen  spoils  captured  from  gamblers 
among  the  troops.  The  statement  concluded  as  fol- 
lows : “This  is  the  low  brute  whose  word  the  Belgian 
officers  would  accept  to  destroy  my  character.” 

He  incloses  Assad’s  retraction,  in  which  he  says 
the  story  in  regard  to  buying  a girl  to  be  eaten  by  can- 
nibals was  misunderstood.  The  handkerchief  said  to 
be  given  for  her  purchase  was  a gift  and  had  no  refer- 
ence whatever  to  the  occurrence  with  which  it  was 
erroneously  connected. 

On  Nov.  10,  1890,  the  Paris  Temps  said:  “The 
Stanley  controversy  must  be  referred  to  a court  of  jus- 
tice. The  honor  of  civilization  is  involved  in  the  matter. 
Europe,  having  supported  the  enterprise  with  its  sym- 
pathies, supposing  that  it  was  inspired  by  philanthropy, 
has  a right  to  know  whether  or  not  an  expedition  which 
was  associated  with  unprecedented  brutalities,  had  any 
claim  upon  its  sympathy.” 

On  Dec.  24,  1890,  the  diary  of  Jameson’s  was  pub- 
lished by  his  widow  and  brother.  In  the  preface  to  this 
work  Mr.  Stanley  is  bitterly  attacked  for  making  Jame- 
son the  scapegoat  for  all  the  troubles  which  occurred, 
and  claiming  that  they  were  due  to  Stanley’s  own  bad 
judgment  and  neglect,  and  suggested  that  neither  Stan- 
ley nor  Bonny  are  telling  the  truth.  The  cannibal 
episode  as  it  appears  in  the  diary  is  substantially  identi- 
cal with  the  account  above  given.  Jameson  adds  to  his 
statement  of  the  facts:  “I  would  never  have  been  such 
ft  beaut  as  to  witness  the  act  of  cannibalism  * but  wat 


THE  CHAEGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


627 


unable  until  the  last  moment  to  bring  myself  to  be- 
lieve that  it  was  anything  save  a ruse  to  get  money 
out  of  me.” 

In  his  dairy,  under  date  of  April  9,  1887,  Lieut. 
Jameson,  dealing  with  the  start  up  the  Congo,  remarks 
that  Stanley  sent  Barttelot  on  with  all  the  worst  and 
most  rebellious  men  in  the  camp.  “This  action  on  the 
part  of  Stanley,”  said  Jameson,  “was  a strange  return 
for  Barttelot’s  gratuitous  hard  work.”  On  the  10th 
Jameson  complains  that  Stanley  rejects  his  advice  to 
give  the  sick  a period  of  rest  and  compels  them  to  con- 
tinue the  march,  “with  the  result,”  he  adds,  “that  the 
camp  regards  me  as  a brute  and  Stanley  as  a sort  of 
guardian  angel.” 

The  diary  is  a record  of  the  daily  progress  and  ad- 
ventures of  the  expedition,  interspersed  with  disputes 
between  Stanley  and  his  followers.  For  instance,  he 
says : “While  marching  to  Nkalama,  after  ordering  that 
100  lashes  be  given  a man  for  losing  a box  of  ammuni- 
tion, Stanley  accused  me  of  losing  three  boxes,  and  said  : 
Tf  this  happens  again  we  must  part.’  If  this  continues 
and  Stanley  reproaches  me  before  the  men  I shall  not 
be  sorry  wTe  do  part.” 

The  diary  records  that  Stanley  degraded  three 
chiefs,  the  best  men  Jameson  had  ever  seen  among  the 
natives,  and  only  released  them  from  their  chains  on 
the  intercession  of  Tippoo  Tib. 

In  a letter  to  his  wife  later  Jameson  shows  that  he 
was  becoming  discouraged  in  his  naturalist’s  pursuits. 
He  says  that  with  a wealth  of  available  specimens  un- 
exampled in  his  experience  he  has  no  time  to  get  any- 
thing. “All  my  lovely  dreams  are  knocked  on  the  head. 
My  whole  time  is  employed  in  beating  and  leading  nig- 
gers; day  after  day  the  same  disgusting  work.”  While 


628 


THE  CHARGES  AGAINST  STANLEY. 


at  Leopoldsville,  he  writes : 4 ‘They  all  had  disagreeable 
moments  with  Stanley,  but  they  think  they  are  ended 
for  the  present.  I cannot  help  admiring  him  im- 
mensely,” he  says,  “for  his  great  strength  of  will  power 
in  overcoming  difficulties,  but  there  are  some  points  in 
his  character  which  it  is  impossible  to  admire.  Again, 
when  Stanley  discards  his  reserve,  he  is  most  agreeable 
and  full  of  information.” 

Under  date  of  May  15  the  following  entry  appears : 
“Alas  for  my  dreams  of  marching  to  Wadelai.  Stanley 
tells  me  I must  remain  in  camp  with  Barttelot.”  A 
few  days  later  the  writer  describes  what  he  terms  “the 
most  disgraceful  row  I ever  heard  between  Stanley, 
Jephson  and  Stairs  in  reference  to  the  complaint  of  the 
Zanzibaris,  whose  word  Stanley  takes  in  preference  to 
that  of  his  officers. 

“On  June  6,  having  by  his  own  mistake  lost  the  offi- 
cers steaming  to  Aruwhimi,  Stanley  said  if  he  had  failed 
to  find  the  steamers  he  would  have  treated  us  all  as  de- 
serters. He  used  hard  and  unfair  words,  and  appeared 
to  distrust  us  if  a yard  from  him.  Yet  except  myself, 
who  was  ‘seedy,’  the  officers  have  worked  the  hardest  in 
the  most  horrible  swamps  to  procure  wood.  This  dis- 
trust sickens  us  and  is  frightfully  disheartening.” 

Being  encamped  at  Yambuya,  Jameson  again  writes 
to  his  wife.  He  says : “I  cannot  get  over  the  disappoint- 
ment of  being  left  alone  with  Barttelot.  Stanley  left  us 
seventy-six  of  the  very  worst  men  under  one  worthless 
chief.  The  camp  is  pitched  in  a frightfully  damp  place.” 

In  numerous  entries  Jameson  expresses  dislike  for 
the  necessary  flogging  of  sentries  caught  asleep,  and  sets 
forth  the  difficulty  of  suppressing  mutiny  among  the 
natives  who  were  weary  of  waiting  for  Stanley. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 


STANLEY’S  DEFENSE. 


rffc^DHEBE  are  few  men  outside  of  the  field  of  politics 
■ in  whom  the  general  public  is  as  much  inter- 
ested  as  it  now  is  in  Stanley  Africanus,  who  is  both 
hero  and  discoverer,  two  things  that  will  ever  command 
popular  regard  and  admiration.  An  additional  interest 
attaches  to  him,  occasioned  by  the  attack  upon  him  of 
his  subordinates  in  the  last  African  expedition.  It  must 
be  admitted  by  all  who  have  studied  the  grand  achieve- 
ments of  this  intrepid  explorer  that  it  is  rather  remarka- 
ble to  what  extent  Stanley  aroused  jealousies  by  the  bril- 
liancy of  his  last  exploit.  The  first  the  world  heard 
of  this  jealousy  was  the  commotion  over  his  rescue  of 
Emin  Bey. 

When  the  expedition  was  equipped,  there  was  much 
uncertainty  whether  Emin  was  yet  alive,  and  there  were 
only  bravos  and  the  most  cordial  sympathy  with  Stanley 
when  he  began  his  perilous  journey  through  the  heart  of 
the  Black  Continent.  But  with  the  safe  arrival  of  Emin 
at  Zanzibar,  there  came  all  sorts  of  reports  and  rumors, 
the  purport  of  which  was  that  Stanley  was  depriving 
Emin  of  honor  and  credit  rightly  his  due,  himself  appro- 
priating all  the  glory  of  the  eccentric  German’s  life  labor 
in  the  province  over  which  Gordon  had  made  him  govern- 
or. Previous  to  this,  however,  despatches  from  the 
rear-guard  proclaimed  the  failure  of  the  expedition  and 


630 


STANLEY'S  DEFENSE, 


the  loss  of  Stanley,  while  the  camp  under  Barttelot  was 
rapidly  going  to  pieces  through  starvation  and  loss  by 
desertion. 

Mr.  Stanley  has  shown  a commendable  spirit  in  his 
desire  to  avoid  the  publicity  of  the  darkest  and  most  re- 
volting particulars  of  this  horrible  tale,  and  only  in 
self-defense,  it  is  believed,  would  he  have  given  the  in- 
formation which  has  thrown  light  on  this  forbiddingly 
dark  spot  of  an  otherwise  glorious,  though  at  times  des- 
perate, enterprise  and  also  to  substantiate  all  that  he 
has  previously  said  in  censure  of  the  rear-guard,  name- 
ly : that  solely  through  the  incompetency  and  irresolu- 
tion of  its  officers  it  came  to  such  a miserable  end. 

Immediately  on  Mr.  Stanley’s  arrival  in  New  York, 
Nov.  9,  1890,  he  submitted  to  an  interview  and 

thus  speaks  of  his  calumniators  and  gives  the  inner  his- 
tory of  the  ill-fated  rear  column. 

Mr.  Stanley  then  said : “You  must  expect  such  at- 
tacks as  have  been  made  on  me  and  many  more,  because 
I know  from  conversations  I have  had  with  the  surviv- 
ing officers  that  many  of  them  are  very  sore.  Mr.  Bart- 
telot’s  book  begins  in  this  way.  On  page  2,  introductory 
chapter,  ‘Life  and  Diaries  of  Major  Barttelot,’  Wal- 
ter Barttelot  says : ‘Mr.  Stanley  has  said  that  the  rear 
column  was  wrecked  by  the  irresolution  of  its  officers» 
neglect  of  promises,  and  indifference  to  written  orders. 
To  a soldier  of  the  Queen  and  a gentleman,  this  is  a se- 
rious accusation  and  it  should  not  be  allowed  to  pass.’ 
It  is  on  that  the  book  turns ; that  is  the  reason  for  the 
book’s  existence.  That  sentence  which  Mr.  Barttelot 
finds  fault  with  was  written  in  August,  1888,  two  days 
after  meeting  Mr.  Bonny  and  the  emaciated  remnant  of 
the  rear  column,  when  I found  102  men  alive  out  of  271, 
and  only  one  living  English  officer  out  of  five.  On 


w&mm’B  mwmm • 


68$ 

learning  then  the  details  of  what  had  transpired  I wrote 
that  the  irresolution  of  the  officers,  neglect  of  their  prom- 
ises, and  indifference  to  the  written  orders  caused  this 
awful  collapse. 

When  asked  to  justify  the  censure  which  was  the 
cause  of  Barttelot’s  book,  Mr.  Stanley  replied : 

“It  is  a very  serious  business,  although  I can  quite 
understand  that  people  should  be  answered,  as  I now 
propose  to  answer,  in  order  to  determine  the  truth.  It 
is  absolutely  immaterial  to  me  what  view  the  people 
take  of  this  censure,  as  I had  enlisted  all  these  men  as 
my  officers,  and  it  was  only  to  me  they  owed  loyalty 
and  obedience  according  to  their  contracts.  I am  alone 
justified  in  reserving  the  right  to  condemn  or  to  award 
praise.  At  the  same  time,  everybody  is  at  liberty  to 
express  his  or  her  views  on  this  conduct,  but  no  one 
could  possibly  have  the  same  interest  as  I have  to  for- 
get a great  many  offences  and  gloss  over  many  things  in 
order  to  avoid  scandal.  Probably  the  best  way  in  or- 
der to  satisfy  any  legitimate  interest  in  this  question 
would  be  to  tell  the  story  of  the  rear  column,  as  I heard 
it  at  Yambuya,  and  then  the  public  may  understand 
the  shocking  effect  it  had  on  me  when,  hastening  to  their 
relief,  I was  met  by  this  awful  revelation. 

“First  as  to  Major  Barttelot  himself.  In  this  book, 
his  “Diaries,”  on  page  169,  you  will  find  the  following  en- 
try by  Mr.  Barttelot : ‘Bonny  and  I talked  about  our 

probable  action  in  the  event  of  Stanley  doing  certain 
things.  I expressed  myself  openly.’  On  page  170,  un- 
der date  of  December  6,  Mr.  Barttelot  states : ‘After  dinner 
Bonny  and  I walked  again  and  referred  to  our  conver- 
sation of  November  24.  I made  a determination  never  to 
partake  of  Stanley’s  hospitality  while  out  here,  as  we 
have  a private  medicine  chest.  Jameson,  :a  reference 


STANLEY'S  DEFENSE. 


633 


to  our  conversation  of  November  24,  expressed  his  deter- 
mination to  act  as  I should  and  also  refuse  Stanley’s  hos- 
pitality.’ Wondering  what  all  this  meant,  I asked  Mr. 
Bonny  to  be  frank  and  say  what  it  all  meant.  He  re- 
plied. <Well,  sir,  Major  Barttelot  asked  me : “Don’t  you 
think  Stanley  is  a Pritchard— a poisoner?”  and  added 
that  he*  had  heard  that  one  of  your  ways  was  to  leave 
Africa  alone  so  that  no  one  would  know  what  had  trans- 
pired, and  he  had  heard  the  story  of  your  leaving  an 
officer  in  some  part  of  Africa  and  never  going  back  for 
him.’ 

“This  gives  a little  insight  into  the  feelings  of 
Major  Barttelot  and  of  Mr.  Jameson’s  clear  comprehen- 
sion of  what  had  been  hinted  at.  It  seems  that  they 
had  picked  up  a skit  from  one  of  the  irresponsible  news- 
papers, saying  it  was  odd  Stanley  never  returned  from 
Africa  except  alone.  I am  told  Major  Barttelot  had 
expressed  great  curiosity  to  learn  the  probable  effect  of 
a dose  of  cyanide  of  potassium  and  at  one  time  was 
caught  testing  it  on  his  tongue  in  order  to  ascertain 
whether  its  taste  would  be  likely  to  be  detected  in  a cup 
of  coffee.  I was  told  that  the  person  for  whom  this  dose 
was  intended  was  Salim  de  Mohammed,  the  nephew  of 
Tippoo  Tib.  I was  told  also  that  Major  Barttelot’s  life 
was  twice  saved  by  Mr.  Bonn}7.  Once  because  Major 
Barttelot  had  suddenly  seized  a woman  who  was  pass- 
ing near  him  and  buried  his  teeth  deep  in  her  shoulder. 

“I  was  told  also  that  frequently  Major  Barttelot 
w7ould  cause  his  black  followers  to  shrink  before  him  by 
standing  in  their  path,  in  front  of  the  advancing  natives, 
and  grinning  like  a fiend — that  is  the  expression  that 
was  used  in  describing  it  to  me — while  he  would  at  the 
same  moment  brandish  a long  cypress  staff  that  had 
upon  it  a harp  steel  point.  He  was  reported  to  me  to 


634 


STANLEY'S  DEFENSE. 


be  often  running  about  the  camp,  prodding  his  people 
and  then  flourishing  his  stick  and  hitting  indiscriminate- 
ly without  any  apparent  cause.  A Manyama  chief 
complained  to  me  that  he  had  been  prodded  seventeen 
times  in  one  day  with  this  steel-pointed  staff,  and  that 
was  two  days  before  Major  Barttelot  was  killed^by  San- 
ga.  The  little  boy  Sondi,  whose  death  I have  recorded 
‘In  Darkest  Africa,’  was  a little  fellow  of  10  years. 
Major  Barttelot  refers  to  him  in  a general  way  as  a 
clever  little  fellow.  I have  described  him  in  my  book 
as  a wise-headed  little  fellow.  Well,  Major  Bartelot  was 
irritated  at  this  little  fellow  one  morning  and  kicked 
him,  and  from  the  effects  of  that  kick  the  boy  died. 
John  Henry,  a mission  lad,  was  flogged  with  30Q  lashes, 
and  died  very  soon  after  receiving  them. 

“A  Soudanese  soldier  was  placed  on  guard  while 
suffering  the  torments  of  hunger,  and  he  stole  a piece 
of  the  meat  of  a goat,  for  which  he  was  flogged  150 
lashes.  He  was  sentenced  to  receive  300,  but  as  he 
could  not  stand  that  at  one  time  they  left  off  at  150  for 
him  to  recover,  with  the  threat  that  he  would  receive 
the  other  150  as  soon  as  he  was  in  a fit  condition. 
Meantime  he  was  put  under  guard.  One  night  he  broke 
away,  took  his  rifle, and  ran  into  the  bush.  Search  was 
made,  and  in  the  next  day  or  two  he  was  caught,  tried, 
and  sentenced  to  be  shot,  and  the  sentence  was  duly 
carried  into  execution. 

“There  was  scarcely  one  among  the  Zanzibaris  who 
had  not  been  a victim  of  this  system  of  remorseless 
punishment.  They  bore  their  wounds  on  back  and  on 
limbs,  and,  of  course,  as  Major  Barttelot  had  sent  the 
medicines  away  down  the  river — two  full  cases — the 
means  to  alleviate  them  was  wanting.  For  the  want  of 
these  medicines  many  of  the  men  died.  Major  Barttelot 


Stanley’s  defense* 


635 


told  Mr.  Bonny,  I am  informed,  that  he  recommended 
his  brother  Walter  to  look  after  Mr.  Troup  on  his  arrival 
in  England,  in  order  that  Mr.  Troup  might  not  be 
tempted  to  disclose  what  was  going  on  at  Yambuya 
with  the  rear  column.  I am  told  that  when  the  desert- 
ers from  the  advance  column  reached  Yambuya  and 
told  Major  Barttelot  the  graphic  tale  of  my  being  killed 
by  seventeen  arrows,  he  exclaimed : ‘Thank  God,  I shall 
be  made  colonel  now !’  That  statement  has  been  sworn 
to  by  a person  who  heard  it  in  the  presence  of  wit- 
nesses. 

“Soon  after  this  Major  Barttelot  declared  that  he 
had  a project  to  undertake  in  connection  wfith  Mr. 
Jameson  to  pay  for  the  goods  under  his  charge  and  send 
the  other  three  officers  home,  and  start  them  on  an  ex- 
pedition of  his  own.  But  he  was  kind  enough,  I am 
told,  to  tell  Mr.  Bonny  confidentially  that  if  he  cared  to 
join  him  and  Mr.  Jameson  he  might,  and  the  other  two 
fellows  could  shift  for  themselves,  meaning  Mr.  Ward 
and  Mr.  Troup.  Another  project  was  that  Major 
Barttelot  proposed  to  leave  the  surplus  goods  at  Stanley 
Falls  in  charge  of  Mr.  Troup,  while  he  (Major  Barttelot) 
and  Mr.  Jameson  started  on  their  own  hook  to  explore. 

“I  am  told  that  Mr.  Troup  applied  to  Major  Bartte- 
lot for  medicine  while  he  was  ill,  and  Barttelot  refused 
to  give  it  to  him.  I also  heard  there  were  frequent 
quarrels  among  the  officers  in  the  camp,  and  upon  one 
occasion,  on  account  of  a protest  from  Mr.  Bonny, 
Major  Barttelot  ordered  a guard  of  Soudanese  to  arrest 
him.  In  the  log-book  signed  by  Major  Barttelot  and 
Mr.  Jameson  there  is  one  record  after  another,  in  each 
day’s  entry,  how  people  were  ill-treated  by  flogging 
going  on  day  after  day  without  any  intermission.  He 
bought  four  slave  chains  from  Tippoo  Tib  for,  I believe, 


636 


Stanley's  defense. 


£48,  in  order  to  put  these  people  in  chains.  It  is  said 
that  Major  Barttelot  confessed  to  Mr.  Bonny  that  if 
many  of  the  things  done  at  Yambuya  were  known  in  Eng- 
land he  would  be  instantly  dismissed  from  the  service. 
Upon  which,  it  is  said,  Mr.  Bonny  asked  why  did  he 
commit  these  things,  since  he  knew  they  would  disgrace 
him  in  the  eyes  of  his  countrymen?  Now,  coming  to 
the  day  of  the  tragedy,  Major  Barttelot,  during  the 
hours  that  intervened  between  July  17  and  the  morning 
of  the  18th,  had  kept  the  camp  in  a state  of  uproar. 
Things  had  been  going  on  pretty  well  during  his  absence 
at  Stanley  Falls,  but  whatever  good  feeling  existed 
before  his  arrival  was  completely  dissipated  by  his  re- 
turn. He  first  foisted  a quarrel  on  the  Arab  who  owned 
the  station  of  Benalva  and  demanded  sixty  slaves  from 
the  Arab.  I have  rejected  that  word  and  put  carriers 
in  the  log-book.  The  Arab  complained  that  on  account 
of  such  a large  party  of  whites  having  come  the  natives 
had  become  frightened  and  had  all  run  away  and  could 
not  be  induced  to  stay  in  the  neighborhood.  It  was 
therefore  impossible  to  catch  any  slaves,  but  Major 
Barttelot  was  inexorable  and  insisted  upon  a supply 
being  given  to  him. 

“On  the  morning  of  the  19th  at  dawn,  he  heard 
drumming  and  singing  and  sent  some  Soudanese  sol- 
diers to  try  and  stop  it.  As  this  had  no  effect  he  sent 
his  little  boy.  Still  no  use,  and  finally  he  went  himself, 
taking  with  him  his  loaded  revolver  and  that  cypress 
staff  with  the  steel  point  which  had  already  made  such 
mischief,  and  with  these  weapons  in  his  hands  he 
walked  to  the  scene  of  the  singing.  There  he  saw  a 
woman  beating  a drum,  accompanying  it  with  her  voice, 
as  is  the  usual  custom  with  the  Manyemas  at  the  dawn 
of  the  day,  which  they  always  open  with  wild  music* 


defense* 


63f 


Major  Barttelot,  on  seeing  the  woman  so  engaged, 
ordered  her  to  desist  two  or  three  times,  accompanying 
each  order  with  a prod  of  his  steel-pointed  staff,  then 
with  a blow  of  the  staff,  and  finally  he  began  to  kick 
her.  Attracted  by  the  woman’s  shrieks,  her  husband, 
Sanga,  seeing  Barttelot  with  a revolver  in  his  hand, 
thrust  his  gun  through  the  loop-hole  of  a hut  opposite 
to  where  this  was  taking  place  and  shot  Barttelot  dead. 
Jameson  then  went  to  Stanley  Falls,  where  Sanga  was 
proved  to  have  killed  Major  Barttelot,  and  was  conse- 
quently sentenced  to  death.  If  Sanga  had  been  brought 
before  me  and  the  story  as  reported  to  me  personally 
and  in  writing  was  shown  to  be  true  I should  have  ac- 
quitted him.  Suppose  such  an  incident  occurred  in  the 
streets  of  any  civilized  city,  would  not  any  jury  have 
acquitted  the  husband  who  thus  killed  the  assailant  of 
his  wife  ? 

4 ‘Since  I have  censured  the  whole,  it  is  perhaps 
necessary  if  the  foregoing  does  not  contain  sufficient  ex- 
planation for  me  to  say  why  I censured  them.  It  must 
be  understood  that  any  one  of  these  officers  with  a little 
firmness  could  have  arrested  Major  Barttelot’s  proceed- 
ings without  violence.  A mere  letter  from  any  one  of 
them  protesting  against  such  acts,  and  threatening  to 
report  the  circumstances  to  the  committee  at  home, 
would  have  stopped  it.  It  has  been  clearly  shown  from 
many  accounts,  even  Mr.  Troup’s  own  narrative  shows 
it,  that  they  disagreed  with  many  things.  Major 
Barttelot  did,  and  it  is  probably  true  that  they  protested 
by  word  of  mouth,  but  no  amount  of  verbal  protests 
would  h.  ve  the  same  effect  as  a written  arraignment  of 
these  tyrannical  proceedings.  Iam  sure  had  Major  Bartte- 
lot received  such  a letter  he  would  never  have  dared  to 
repeat  them.  Hence,  as  this  was  not  done — because  I 


688 


STANLEY'S  DEFENSE. 


have  never  seen  such  written  protests — I must  needs 
censure  their  conduct  for  not  doing  the  utmost  they 
could  in  order  to  stop  them,  insomuch  as  each  had  de- 
clared his  intention  to  be  loyal  and  obedient  and  think 
of  the  interests  of  the  expedition.  I will  leave  this  to 
the  judgment  of  every  reader. 

“Assuming  the  facts  are  as  they  are  stated  in  the 
foregoing,  can  any  man  conscientiously  say  that  my 
censure  of  the  rear  column  was  harsh  or  unjust  or  un- 
deserved when  I state  this  after  hearing  all  these  horri- 
ble things,  and  after  seeing  the  effects  of  those  acts  on 
the  rear  column — when  I said,  two  days  after  being 
brought  face  to  f ace  with  this  misery,  that  the  rear 
column  was  wrecked  by  the  irresolution  of  its  officers, 
the  neglect  of  their  promises  and  their  indifference  to 
written  orders? 

“Starvation  and  continued  ill-treatment  caused  the 
condition  of  the  men  to  which  I have  referred  and  pro- 
duced the  ulcers  which  ate  away  the  flesh  so  that  their 
bones  were  almost  exposed.  Their  backs  were  entirely 
gone.  They  were  unable  to  stand,  and  still  they  were 
punished  day  after  day.  There  is  the  log-book  as  it 
was  given  to  me,  with  day  after  day  the  accounts  of  the 
most  horrible  punishments.  The  records  are  signed  by 
all  the  officers.  They  did  not  appreciate  the  amount  of 
it,  making  the  daily  entries,  but  as  I read  it  over,  all 
together,  there  it  stares  me  in  the  face,  a record  of  evils 
and  a continuous  story  of  horrors. 

“As  to  this  story  about  Mr.  Jameson.  A witness 
to  the  incident,  a man,  drew  up  in  his  own  handwriting 
an  affidavit,  wherein  he  swears  in  the  presence  of  wit- 
nesses to  the  following  story:  That  Jameson,  returning 
from  Kasonga  and  conversing  with  Tippoo  Tib  and 
another  Arab  about  cannibalism,  informed  them  that  he 


Stanley's  defense. 


639 


did  not  believe  there  was  any  such  thing  as  cannibalism, 
because,  although  he  had  heard  much  of  it,  he  had 
never  seen  it,  and  no  white  man  had  ever  seen  it  done. 
In  reply  to  this  Tippoo  Tib  is  said  to  have  said : Tt  is 
easy  enough  to  prove  it  if  you  like.’  Upon  which  Jame- 
son asked  how,  and  Tippoo  Tib  responded : ‘Pay  for  a 

slave  and  give  it  to  those  men  there.  They  will  show 
you.’  Whereupon  Mr.  Jameson  said  he  was  very  willing. 
Twelve  cotton  handkerchiefs  were  then  given,  and  with 
them  a little  girl  aged  some  ten  or  twelve  years  was 
purchased.  She  was  given  to  the  men,  and  Mr.  Jame- 
son is  said  to  have  then  told  them : ‘Now  let  me  see 
what  you  can  do.’  The  child  was  tied  so  she  could  not 
move.  Mr.  Jameson  took  a sketch  book  in  his  hand, 
and  when  he  was  ready  a knife  was  plunged  into  the 
child’s  heart,  and  Mr.  Jameson  is  said  to  have  stood 
there  while  the  life  blood  spurted  over  the  body.  He  is 
said  to  have  made  six  sketches  descriptive  of  the  vari- 
ous scenes  that  took  place,  the  cutting  up  and  the  dis- 
posing of  the  body. 

“This  appeared  so  incredible  at  first  that  when  we 
expressed  doubts  a European  came  forward  and  said  he 
had  seen  the  sketches.  Another  European,  upon  being 
asked  what  he  knew  of  it,  said  Jameson  showed  the 
sketches  to  him  also.  This  was  reported  to  the  authori- 
ties of  the  Congo  Free  State,  and  they  took  evidence  re- 
garding it.” 

Stanley  concludes  by  saying:  “If  necessary  I 

shall  be  glad  to  go  into  court  of  law  where  the  whole 
matter  can  be  ventilated,” 

In  replying  to  a question  as  to  what  he  had  to  say 
about  Troup’s  charges,  Mr.  Stanley  replied : “I  have 

this  to  say : That  the  only  quarrel  I had  with  Troup 

was  because  I would  not  publish  in  my  book  his  attack 


40 


i 


STANLEY’S  DEFENSE. 

jpon  Major  Barttelot.  I said  to  him:  ‘You  are  too 

general  in  your  attack.  The  man  is  dead.  Take  out 
some  of  your  harsh  expressions  and  your  abuse  and  I 
will  print  what  you  have  to  say.5  This  he  declined  to  do 
and  so  my  book  came  out  without  his  statement.  For 
this  he  is  angry.  I included  him  in  the  same  category 
with  the  other  officers  of  the  rear  guard  when  I censured 
them  for  allowing  Barttelot  to  wreck  it.  That  is  what 
Bonny  is  sore  about.55 

Mr.  Stanley  on  November  11th,  in  a lecture  de- 
livered at  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House,  New  York 
City,  the  subject  of  which  was : “The  Rescue  of  Emin 

Bey : The  Forest  Pigmies  and  the  March  Across  the 

Desert,55  thus  spoke  of  Emin  Bey:  “We  flattered 

ourselves,”  said  the  lecturer,  “that  it  could  not  be  con- 
strued into  anything  political.  At  the  banquet,  by 
which  Emin  was  welcomed  back  to  civilization,  he 
showed  that  he  was  grateful.  But  after  this  he  seemed 
to  think  his  gratitude  was  at  an  end.  This,  of  course, 
was  after  he  had  left  the  hospital.  He  declared  in  Zan- 
zibar that  he  had  severed  himself  from  us  and  he  wrote 
letters  to  Germany  to  the  same  effect,  which  his  de- 
lighted friends  made  use  of.  Next  he  tried  to  pick  a 
a quarrel  with  the  Egyptian  government.  He  cabled  to 
Cairo  for  a small  credit  to  be  forwarded  to  him  at  Zanzi- 
bar, and  Sir  Edward  Baring  telegraphed  back  that 
Emin  could  have  the  credit  through  the  English  Consul 
at  Zanzibar.  This  seemed  to  enrage  Emin.  He  de- 
clined to  pay  his  accounts,  and  the  soldiers  who  had 
been  with  him  fourteen  years  were  compelled  to  wait 
six  months  at  Zanzibar  for  their  money.  He  turned  a 
cold  shoulder  on  Cassadi,  with  whom  he  had  lived  eight 
years  as  a brother.  For  a whole  month  he  pretended 
to  be  anxious  to  become  employed  by  the  British,  and 


STANLEY’S  defense. 


€41 


then  he  turned  around  and  sought  employment  with  the 
Germans.  The  Germans  brought  him  to  their  views. 
They  read  him  aright,  but  I think  they  would  have  suc- 
ceeded better  had  they  managed  to  leave  the  victim  of 
their  political  aspirations  with  more  human  virtue.” 

On  December  3rd,  Mr.  Stanley  delivered  his  second 
lecture  in  New  York  City.  His  subject  was  “The  Rear 
Guard,”  and  among  other  things  he  said : “Was  Barttelot 
insane?  Then  must  Jameson  also  have  been  insane. 

✓ Then  insanity  must  have  overpowered  the  reason  of  the 
three  surviving  officers,  or  I am  insane  in  supposing 
these  fearful  acts  and  stupid  malignity,  this  remorseless 
cruelty,  this  incomprehensible  perversity,  deserving  of 
my  censure.  My  criticism  of  the  three  surviving  officers 
was  provoked  by  the  fact  that  they  were  tlffee  against 
one,  who  seemed,  if  what  I heard  was  true,  to  have 
been  gaining  a terrible  notoriety  among  all  the  whites 
and  blacks  as  a brutal,  tyrannical  man,  whose  wicked 
course  it  would  be  a blessing  to  arrest  in  some  way.” 

In  closing  his  remarks  he  said : “It  is  now  too 

apparent  that  I made  a great  mistake  in  appointing 
Barttelot  to  command  the  rear  column,  but  would  I 
have  been  wiser  to  have  substituted  Troup,  who  has 
proved  himself  so  unworthy  in  the  character  of  a subor- 
dinate— who,  knowing  his  chief  to  be  cruel  and  tyranni- 
cal, until  he  himself  was  confessedly  a victim,  could  not 
see  that  his  duty  was  to  prevent  his  excesses  by  every 
means  in  his  power  ? Would  I have  done  better  to  have 
chosen  Jameson,  who  saw  nothing  in  the  acts  of  Bartte- 
lot but  such  as  to  win  his  friendship,  and  who  seemed 
willfully  to  have  provoked  an  act  of  cannibalism  ? Or 
would  I have  n ade  a better  choice  in  appointing  Ward, 
who  declares  now  that  for  eight  months  he  was  the  com- 
panion of  Barttelot,  and  never  saw  him  do  aught  unbe- 
coming an  officer  and  a gentleman? 


042 


Stanley’s  defense. 


“In  my  opinion  the  docile  acquiescence  of  his  subor- 
dinates in  these  misdeeds  had  been  more  pernicious  to 
Barttelot  and  themselves  and  our  expedition  than 
Barttelot’s  own  sanguinary  disposition.” 

The  Journel  de  Bruzeltez  at  Brussels  on  Novem- 
ber 11th  published  an  interview  with  Governor  Janns- 
sen,  of  the  Congo  State,  in  which  the  latter  protests 
against  Ward’s  trying  to  saddle  upon  the  Congo  State 
authorities  the  disasters  to  the  rear  guard.  The  Gover- 
nor declares  that  Ward  often  used  the  State’s  steamers, 
but  never  asked  that  one  be  sent  to  Barttelot’s  camp. 
The  Governor  said  also  that  he  had  heard  only  vague 
reports  about  Jameson. 

The  London  Chronicle  on  November  25th,  com- 
menting  on  the  scandals  connected  with  the  Stanley  ex- 
pedition, said:  “that  the  continuance  of  the  revelations 
presses  deeper  and  deeper  the  burning  brand  of  disgrace 
upon  the  name  and  fame  of  England.”  It  protests  that 
no  one  concerned  in  the  expedition  was  a scientist,  and 
adds : “One  day’s  work  of  the  kind,  the  cultured,  urbane 

Emin,  was  of  more  benefit  to  humanity  than  a decade  of 
work  made  up  as  the  Stanley  expedition  was.  In  the  days 
when  British  officers  were  gentlemen  such  work  as 
Jameson  describes  could  not  have  been  so  quickly  done 
as  to  prevent  them  from  lifting  a hand  in  defense  of  a 
girl  that  had  been  bought  to  be  tortured  and  torn  to 
pieces.  Jameson  has  disgraced  his  country  in  the  eyes 
of  the  civilized  world.  It  is  a dreadful  thing  that  such 
a man  should  be  idolized  as  a society  hero.” 

Few  of  the  white  men  who  have  served  under  Stan- 
ley will  endorse  hardly  a word  of  the  severe  things  said 
of  him  by  his  subordinates  whom  he  censures.  Among 
them  he  is  the  greatest  explorer  and  leader  of  white 
enterprises  in  savage  lands  of  the  age.  The  faults  and 


Stanley’s  defense. 


643 


weaknesses  of  great  men  are  often  very  conspicuous.  It 
maybe  that  Stanley  is  too  severe  in  the  judgment  he 
passes  upon  his  lieutenants,  who  have  contributed  little 
or  nothing  to  the  success  of  his  enterprises.  He  has 
not  the  slightest  patience  with  incompetency.  Failure 
in  his  eyes  is  a crime.  No  leader  has  ever  paid  more 
hearty  and  eloquent  tribute  to  his  tried  and  true  sub- 
ordinates than  he  has  done  in  his  published  works. 

During  twenty  years  largely  given  to  service  in 
Africa,  Stanley  has  succeeded  in  everything  he  has 
undertaken.  The  unequaled  honors  the  world  has 
showered  upon  him  are  simply  the  recognition  due  a 
man  whose  qualifications  have  made  long  years  of  trial 
and  stupendous  endeavor  a brilliant  and  unbroken  series 
of  successes.  No  perplexity  or  obstacle  has  ever  con- 
fronted him  which  he  has  not  met  and  conquered  with 
effective  expedients.  Probably  no  other  African  ex- 
plorer has  so  invariably  overcome  every  obstacle  that 
obstructed  his  path.  He  perfectly  understands  the  art 
of  managing  his  black  carriers,  which  is  such  a stum- 
bling-block to  many  an  African  traveler.  He  keeps 
them  devoted  to  him  while  ruling  them  with  a rod  of 
iron.  They  have  good  reason  to  fear  his  displeasure, 
but  they  never  lose  faith  in  his  justice.  They  know  he 
is  solicitous  for  their  well-being,  and  they  trust  him  as  a 
father  to  supply  their  needs  and  lead  them  through 
every  danger.  Thus  he  gets  from  them  the  best  service 
and  loyalty.  Stanley  is  just  in  his  dealings  with  the 
natives;  understanding  them  perfectly,  he  is  patient 
with  these  children  of  nature.  He  leads  them  the  way 
he  wishes  them  to  go  with  boundless  tact  and  patience. 

A careful  study  of  Stanley’s  career  in  Africa  will 
convince  any  one  that  in  his  general  lire  of  policy  his 
consideration  for  the  natives,  his  desire  to  do  them  jus- 


644 


Stanley’s  defense. 


tice,  have  been  characteristics  as  marked  in  his  case  as 
in  that  of  Livingston.  It  is  true  that  he  has  dealt 
death  to  savage  foes  and  to  traitors  in  camp,  but  it  can 
not  be  said  truthfully  by  any  one  whose  opinion  is  valua- 
ble that  he  ever  ruthlessly  sacrificed  human  life.  As  a 
rule,  Stanley’s  dealings  with  his  white  comrades  is  re- 
served and  not  particularly  sociable.  This  peculiarity 
has  intensified  the  enmity  of  those  who  have  failed  to 
please  him,  and  has  been  the  basis  of  much  unfavorable 
criticism.  But  such  reserve  as  this  seems  character- 
istic of  the  greatest  leaders  of  men  and  the  fact  that 
Stanley  is  a born  leader  of  men,  has  proved  one  of  the 
most  potent  factors  in  making  him  the  greatest  African 
explorer. 


.tt##*####***###**####*#*##***#*#******^  ft*#*?-*  ;f##*** 


